


Twisted

by chele20035



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: BDSM, F/M, Japanese Rope Bondage, mention of BDSM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-02-20 01:17:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 141,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2409782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chele20035/pseuds/chele20035
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss is so excited, Prim finally made it medical school, on a full scholarship too. What sisters don't expect is how much it all costs. When Katniss goes looking for a part time job, it leads her to photographer, Peeta Mellark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello folks!!! I’m so excited about this one!! I hope you will be too. 
> 
> As always, let me start off with thanking sohypothetically. She is really the best. She works so hard for herself, and then finds the time to help others just so that you, can understand the story we are trying to tell. And i know, she has looked at some of my stuff before thinking WTF? I’m glad she has been there. 
> 
> And then… I have found the best readers… my two m’s. just from how excited you two get when I ask if you can read something, makes me want to sit and write all day. It really does. Thank you! That means a lot. 
> 
> And then there are other writers and readers in the fandom, here and on tumblr who are just incredible. They really are. So thank you for being a part of this… and for letting me tell you my stories too. 
> 
> Now, before you begin, I know, that not everyone is into this. And that is ok. My kink is not your kink. But if you like ropes…

Katniss stares at the phone. 

Prim, her sister, who she is ridiculously proud of for getting a full scholarship to Duke University Medical School, called her in tears. All their hard work hasn’t been enough: Prim doing every little job she could while home for the summer, Katniss working as much overtime as the company allowed her, and even picked up extra baby sitting and giving archery lessons on the weekends, and still it wasn’t enough. 

Prim’s tuition is paid. Promised that as long as she maintains the acceptable grade point average, and makes her supervising doctors happy, she can keep her spot. What the sisters didn’t expect are the hidden costs. The cost of the books. The lab coats and scrubs she needs to go out on the floor. The dorms. Katniss puts as much as she can on her credit cards; but with limits of only $500, soon they are maxed out. Now, Prim needs even more money for insurance and to buy groceries for the week. She, of course, tells her that she will have some money in her checking account soon. Pay day isn’t until next Friday, and Katniss doesn’t even know how she is going to buy groceries for herself. She is just glad that the house she lives in is paid-for, curtesy of their parent’s life insurance policies.

She grabs her purse ready to go home, after a day at work at the new beer brewery. She meets her friend Madge leaving at the same time and they walk to their cars in the late afternoon sun. Madge asks, “How is Prim?”

Katniss breathes a big sigh. Madge is one of her oldest friends, so she just opens up and tells her everything about her money worries. She knows Madge will understand. Even though she grew up with wealthy parents, the past recession took their savings. Madge now, like Katniss, has to live off of what she makes. Madge however, doesn’t have a baby sister who just started medical school. 

“Let’s go out tonight. You need a drink,” Madge suggests. 

“No, I need to go home and start job hunting. I don’t think archery lessons and baby-sitting for the neighbors is going to be enough to pay for insurance. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After a restless night, and no luck searching on the internet, Katniss walks into work grumpy and hungry. She hasn’t eaten breakfast yet, because she knows that they always have doughnuts and bagels in the break room. She makes it to her desk to look over the paperwork that was left there, when Madge comes over to perch on her desk. “You should have come out with us last night.” She smirks. 

“Who did you end up going out with?” Katniss asks. 

“I called Jo, and she brought Gale. We went downtown.” 

Katniss can see her bouncing with excitement. “What happened?”

“What do you mean what happened? Nothing happened.”

“You have had a crush on Gale Hawthorne for years. Did he actually talk to you, or was he all over Jo last night?”

Madge blushes all the way to the roots of her hair. “We talked some. But I’m excited because I found you a job!” she says, a little too loud.

Katniss hushes her. “I have job.” Then she whispers, “What in the hell are you talking about?”

Madge gives her a card out of her back pocket. “We met him last night in one of the bars. He was there practicing one of his workshops and mentioned that he needs a model. You are still doing yoga right?” she waits for Katniss to nod. “Call him. I think you two would do very well together.”

Katniss looks down at the card and reads the name and number out loud, “Peeta Mellark. 828-442-5556”’

“Who is this guy? Modeling? I’ve never modeled anything before.”

Madge pats her on the back before she walks away. “Call him. I heard one girl say that he pays $60 an hour.”

That gives Katniss pause. She could do a lot with that much money. She puts the card in her pocket and decides to call him when she isn’t in the office. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

She gets home late that evening after volunteering to count kegs in the warehouse. She takes off her shoes at the door, and makes her a peanut butter sandwich with a left over bagel from the break room and turns on the news. Her phone rings in her purse. She pulls it out in time to answer it, along with the business card Madge had given her. 

“Hello, Madge.”

“Did you call about the job yet?”

“No. I just got home.”

“Where have you been?”

“Haymitch needed someone to do a warehouse count,” Katniss says with a yawn. 

“You counted the whole warehouse?”

“No just half of it. He said I could finish tomorrow.”

“Oh ok. Are you going to call tomorrow?” Madge asks. 

“I’ll try.” She can hear Madge grunt in disbelief. “I promise. Why do you want me to call him so bad? Why don’t you take the job?”

Madge laughs in her ear. “You need this more than I do. Besides, call it a hunch, but I have a feeling that you two are going to hit it off.”

“What are you volunteering me for anyway?”

“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

She skips breakfast again, so she can eat at work to save a little bit on food costs, and decides to go ahead and call the number on the card. A normal-sounding voice comes on, saying to leave a message for Peeta and someone from the studio will call back as soon as possible. She leaves her name and cell number and mutters something about calling because she heard they needed a model.

By the time she hangs up, she is pulling into a parking spot at work. She isn’t late, but she is hungry. So she rushes in, swings by the break-room, takes a bagel for now, and one for later, makes herself a mug of tea, and heads for her desk.

She barely sits her tea down when her cell starts to ring in her pocket. Juggling her bagels before she drops them, she answers, “Hello?”

“Is this Katniss Everdeen?” a deep husky voice asks her. It sounds familiar for some reason.

“This is she.”

With a slight chuckle, he says, “My name is Finnick O’dair. I am Mr. Mellark’s partner and he asked me to call you back. You said that you heard we needed a model?”

She nervously clears her throat and says, “Yes, a friend of mine gave me his card. She said she met him in a club the other night.”

“Ah, yes. Mr. Mellark was trying out some new things before he hosts the workshop next month. Could you come by tonight? Say about seven?”

Her mind draws a blank for a moment before she realizes what he said. “Tonight? You need me tonight?”

“Yes, Ms. Everdeen. We need to meet you and make sure that we can all work together. Can you be here at seven?”

“Yes! I mean yes. Sorry.” She looks frantically for a pen and the sticky notes that are usually lying on her desk but for some reason have disappeared. “Can you tell me the address?” 

She quickly writes down the number and the street, recognizing that it’s a warehouse somewhere in downtown Asheville. Mr. O’dair quickly bids her goodbye and hangs up. She sits there for a moment wondering what Madge has gotten her into. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss uses some of her overtime so she can go home early. Madge still won’t tell her anything about the mysterious Mr. Mellark, but she wants a chance to get cleaned up before she meets him. 

She lives north of Asheville, so it takes her about 15 minutes to get to the warehouse. She tries not to think about the scary movies Prim likes to watch when she pulls up into the parking lot. It seems that the whole area is deserted, and the one street light that happens to be across the road is out, so the only light is the one above the door. 

 

She almost turns her Jeep around, but even if this job pays ten dollars an hour, it would still be worth it. She gathers her courage, locks the door behind her, and goes to the door. The door is one of those heavy metal ones with a window in it. She looks in for a moment, trying to figure out what they are doing inside, when she sees a man coming to the door. Their eyes meet, and Katniss feels like he can see into her very soul. He opens the door and gestures for her to come in. Despite the uneasiness rolling in her stomach, she walks in the door which closes behind her with a loud click. 

Katniss takes a deep breath, and looks up at her mysterious host. He stands there watching her like a hunter would. Something tells her that he doesn’t miss much. He extends his hand, and introduces himself. “My name is Finnick O’dair. And welcome to ‘Twisted’.” 

Katniss returns his handshake and says, “I’m Katniss Everdeen. Thank you for being able to see me so soon.”

Finnick doesn’t immediately release her hand; instead pulls her closer and puts his arm around her shoulders. Katniss momentary wonders what he is doing, when he begins to lead her past the small reception area. There is only a receptionist’s desk and a couple of uncomfortable looking chairs; then walks into a photography studio. There is a changing screen with a meadow on the front of it which looks a lot like the meadow she used to play in when she was little. There are also some low-lying beams with some curious pulleys attached to them. Before she gets a chance to look around anymore, another man comes out of the back. 

The first thing she notices about him are his eyes. She has never seen a shade of blue like that. They are beautiful, but haunted. Sandy-blond hair slightly falls into those eyes that she just can’t seem to look away from. And then there is his perfect nose, and she notices it, but she can’t stop looking into those eyes. His eyes are getting closer and she notices his lips moving, and it kicks in that she needs to be paying attention to what he is saying.

“Finnick, is she ok?”

She answers for him, “Sorry, it was a long day at work. I must be more tired than I thought.” She offers him her hand and says, “I’m Katniss Everdeen. And a friend said that you needed a model?”

She sees the men exchange a glance before he takes her hand. He steals her breath when his thumb strokes her hand, sending a surge of warmth that she has never felt before through her. She has had a couple of lovers, so she isn’t a fresh faced virgin or anything. But no one has ever made her feel this sudden desire before. 

She tries to focus on his words when he begins, “My name is Peeta Mellark.” He pulls her with the hand that he still holds and leads her to a furniture grouping that looks like its right out of the eighteenth century. He sits her on the couch and he sits beside her, and Finnick sits in one of the chairs. There is a china tea service on the coffee table and Peeta gestures to it. “Tea?”

She chokes out, “Yes,” clears her throat nervously, and then says again, “Yes, please.”

Finnick pours, and offers her the sugar bowl. She takes two of the sugar cubes, while he takes three and Peeta doesn’t take any. She watches silently, wanting to say something, but instead waits to see what these two are going to say.

It’s Peeta who breaks the silence. “Do you know what we do, Ms. Everdeen?”

“My friends had asked me to go with them to the bar that night. I wasn’t able to go with them. Madge, one of the girls knows that I need a job. So she told me to call. And I did, and now I’m here.”

“Ah, a true innocent.” Finnick smirks into his cup.

Peeta ignores Finnick and says, “I started off as a painter. Unfortunately people are not buying many paintings these days. I didn’t want to get a job working in the corporate world, so I started taking pictures. Then I met Mr. O’dair.” He grins at his friend and says, “Finnick has peculiar tastes. He asked me to help him, and it has led to a very unusual career choice. Would you like to see my portfolio?”

Katniss nods, and he reaches for the huge book sitting on the table beside the tea set. Peeta scoots closer to her, so the large book can rest on both of their laps. The first couple of pictures are beautiful. Sexy, even. Men and women pose in different positions. She doesn’t know much about the proper terms and all that, but the lighting is beautiful. One thing she notices is that she can’t see any of their faces. This might be alright if no one she knows will see her face. 

Then there is the picture of the girl, tied up against the mirror. She still can’t see her face, but all Katniss can focus on is the ropes. The next picture is a man this time, tied to a bed, blindfolded. The next is the same dark-haired girl, with ropes around her, sitting on a bed, waiting for someone to come to her. Katniss only has a little experience with ropes. Well not really, not like these pictures. Her experience was Darrius wanting to tie her hands to the bed. She told him no, so she tied him up instead. 

The next picture is a man and a woman. It’s so beautiful, she has no words. The man is tied, but not really. There are ropes on his arms in some kind of pattern. His arms are raised above his head with the ropes continuing on his chest. In front of him is a woman on her knees with ropes around her. Looking up to Peeta, who is watching her face, she asks, “There are ropes, but they aren’t tied up?”

“What you are looking at is called shibari, or kinbaku-bi. And yes, it is what some call rope play they aren’t really tied up. Well, Annie is. Finnick isn’t.”

Katniss looks up at Finnick with surprise on her face. “That’s you?”

He says proudly, “Yes, it is. We did that right after I told Annie that I love her.”

“Wait,” she says, and looks back at the photos. “That’s her.” She points to another picture of Annie.

Peeta nods. “That’s our Annie. She isn’t modeling anymore. Not until next year anyway.”

“What happened to her?”

Finnick smiles and says, “She’s pregnant. The doctor said that she can’t be tied up any more. At least not like that.”

“That is why I need a model. Are you flexible?”

“Wait, what? You want me to do that?” Katniss asks.

“I think you will find it well worth your time. When we are here, working, I will pay you $35 an hour. When I have a show, I will pay you $65.”

“I can’t do that—“ she stutters.

Peeta interrupts her before she can say anything else. “Well then, good evening, Ms. Everdeen.” He collects the book off of her lap and stands up.

“You aren’t going to try to get me to stay?”

“My, dear,” Peeta says, “If you want to work for me, wonderful. If not, then I’m not going to sit here and beg for you to help me. Thank you for coming.”

Before she even realizes what she is saying, she says quietly, “I’ll do it.”

Peeta stops walking across the room and turns to her. “What did you say? Speak up, I don’t have time for this.”

She answers him, “Yes, I would like to work for you.” All she can think about is how there isn’t anything to eat at her house or at the dorms for Prim. 

He comes back to her and extends a hand. She places her hand in his and he pulls her up. “If it would help,” he gently says, so much different from the business tone he had used with her earlier, “I can do a simple rope harness so you can see how it feels. Would you like that?”

She looks down at her gray pencil skirt and white blouse. He follows her eyes, and laughs. “Annie left some shorts and a t-shirt here. She is your size. You can change. Follow me. And leave your hair in the braid.” He leads her to behind the screen.

There sit the clothes he mentioned, and she quickly changes. When she steps out from behind the screen, Peeta is waiting. He is standing on the opposite side of the big room. As she gets closer, she notices that he has gotten some things together and they are sitting on a table. She sees several bunches of rope, and a pair of scissors. She fights the nervousness that makes her stomach tighten and wonders does he have a pair of scissors.

She freezes, and stares at the ropes. She can feel something clawing at her insides, and she can only guess that this is what anxiety feels like. Peeta comes to her slowly, like one would a hurt animal. He gently touches her arm where it is crossed in front of her, making her startle. “Come on over here,” he says, “This won’t hurt. You can say the safe word anytime and I will stop.”

“What is a safe word?” she stutters. 

“When people do these kinds of activities, you want everyone to be safe. And sometimes, the one who is doing the tying, doesn’t always know when the people they are tying up are safe. So they decide on a safe word. Even though I’m only doing a simple harness, we are still going to decide on a safe word. If for any reason, you start to hurt or become uncomfortable, just say the word and we will stop. I won’t think any differently of you. We will fix what is wrong, and go from there. Does that make sense?” he asks.

“Why can’t I just say stop? Or no?”

“Well,” he pauses as he picks up a length of rope. “I have been doing this for so long, that I think if I actually hear the word no, I couldn’t stop. And I know that sounds bad, but I would feel safer if we had a safe word.”

Realization hits her. “You like doing this? You aren’t just doing this for the money then?”

He smiles a secret smile and she wonders what that is about. “I will say that at first, I didn’t understand why Finnick and others liked to see rope on bodies. But then I started taking pictures, and doing the rope work myself, it became like an extension of my hands. This is more about the journey than the destination.” He looks at her with the rope in his hands. He has a predatory look on his face as he takes her in. She can’t help the shiver that crawls down her spine when he asks, “Are you ready?”

She nods and asks, “What is the safe word?”

“What is something that you can remember, but isn’t no or stop?”

“Mockingjay?”

He smiles in agreement. He unwinds the rope from its coil. “Like I said, this is a simple rope harness. You won’t be bound in anyway.” He takes the ends and puts them together. Running his hands down the rope to where it is folded, he picks up where the middle would be. He puts this around her neck. Then he picks up her braid and puts it over the rope. 

She releases a shaky breath. He can’t help but to catch it, and stops to ask, “Are you, ok?”

“Yes. It just feels weird. The rope is kind of cold.”

“It will warm up fast. Now for this next part, I’m going to be guiding the rope in-between your legs. Ok?”

She nods shyly and watches him continue. Right under her collar bone, he makes a knot. Then goes down the rope about the span of his hand, makes another knot. Goes down, and makes another knot. After the third knot, she notices that it’s below her belly button. He doesn’t look up as he guides the rope in-between her legs.

Her breath catches when the rope rubs against her clit. Enjoying the warmth that rushes to her core, she is surprised that she is enjoying this. He brings the rope in between her cheeks, and she wishes that she was naked so she could enjoy the rope wedged in her slit. She loves the feeling of being held that the rope provides. She feels like she should do something with her hands, so she places them on her head. Peeta looks up. His eyes flash something she doesn’t recognize, and she isn’t sure if its anger or desire. “Is this ok?” she asks.

She watches his Adam’s apple move as he swallows. He pets her side and mummers, “Yes. You’re perfect.” 

She isn’t sure why, but his praise makes her wet. She squirms against the rope and wishes that something was filling her. He brings the rope up her back, and threads it through the rope around her neck. She can feel him straightening out the pieces. He walks back around to her front, and threads the rope through the loops that he made. The first one goes above her breasts, and back to the back. Then he comes around again, and loops it underneath her breasts. He accidently brushes her nipples and she can’t help the moan that escapes her lips. He pauses in his tying and she isn’t sure if he heard her or not. 

He doesn’t acknowledge her moan, for that, she is grateful. He continues in his work, securing the rope around her torso. 

She starts to bring her hands down, and he stops her with a touch. He picks up another length and looks to see her reaction. She opens her mouth like she is going to say something, and he stops her when he puts his finger on her lips. She resists the urge to kiss him when he says, “Trust me. Ok?”

She nods as he takes one of her arms in his grip. He pulls it down and attaches the length of rope to her harness and quickly begins to put her arms in another harness. When he gets to her hand, he wraps it with the rope and ties off the end. Then he does it to her other arm. 

She is still free, and can move. But she is enjoying this too much to move and break this spell. She has never felt this way before, and quickly decides that she wants to feel like this again. She lets him guide her hands to the top of her head and with, a piece of left over rope, he attaches her hands together. 

She closes her eyes for a moment, and enjoys the feel of the rope. She wishes she didn’t have any clothes on, so she could enjoy the full effect. Where the rope is against her arms is feels so light, but so heavy at the same time. The rope is soft, but firm. She wiggles her arms to test the restraint. Relaxing into the hold, she exhales for what feels like the first time since her father died. She can’t help the tear that slips out of and goes down her cheek.

It’s Finnick who is sitting in the sitting area watching the whole exchange that catches her tear. He signals to Peeta who is still tying the knots that hold her hands secure. Peeta comes around to her front, and without thought, holds her cheeks and wipes the tears from her eyes.

Katniss opens her eyes to look into his when she feels his touch. Seeing understanding in his, she leans her head into his gentle touch. “Are you ok?” he whispers.

She gives a shy nod and breathes deep. “I think I’m overwhelmed.”

“Why is that?”

More tears escape before she can stop them. He is there to wipe her eyes. “For the first time, I don’t feel like I have to be in control. I’ve had to struggle for so long.”

He wipes her tears and says, “Just relax. I’ve got you. You like the ropes, don’t you?”

“I didn’t think I would. But I do.” And before she realizes what she is doing, she wiggles the ropes against her clit begging for release. 

He grabs the ropes above her belly button and tugs her towards him. She can’t help but to moan when the ropes rub against her clit. He looks into her eyes and she starts to feel like she can drown in his depths when he walks away from her talking under his breath. 

She doesn’t understand what is going on, except she has never been this turned on in her entire life. She wants to say something but the mood in the room demands that she stay quiet. She just now notices Finnick still sitting in the sitting area. Has he been there this whole time? That makes sense, she guesses. It’s safer for everyone to have a third person. At least she doesn’t beg Peeta to fuck her. 

Peeta turns around and comes back to her. He brings his hands up to rest on her underarms rubbing her gently, almost touching her breasts. She leans towards him wants him to touch her more. She fights the urge to nuzzle his neck where she knows she can feel his pulse. When he moves to grab the scissors from the table and cuts her hands lose, she has a feeling that something is wrong, very wrong. 

He cuts her arms lose and unties her. He runs his fingers over the indentions in her skin that the rope left and she loves the way they look and the way his touch makes her feel. She continues standing until he has her untied and is coiling the rope when he asks, “Well, what did you think of that, Ms. Everdeen?”

“What are the hours that you need me to work?”

“I’m am working on some new prints and practicing for a show. Would you be interested in working the show?”

“What does that mean?”

“We would be doing this on a stage. You can even have a mask if you prefer.” 

“I think I would like that.”

“And one more thing—“

“What is that?”

“You would be topless.”

After seeing the pictures, she figured this. She really needs the money, so it’s kind of a no-brainer. Before she can catch herself, she says, “Ok. You said I can wear a mask?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

“Wonderful. Can you come back tomorrow then? You work during the day, don’t you?” He waits for her nod again and continues, “Seven again?”

This time she finds her voice. “Yes. I can do seven. Can I go change?”

He looks at her clothes. “Yes, go ahead.”

Finnick doesn’t miss his friend watching Katniss go behind the screen on the other side of the room. Peeta has always been the picture-perfect example of professionalism. It’s very rare in what they do. In the years they have worked together, he has never seen him flustered like this. “She is coming back tomorrow?”

Peeta finishes cleaning up, and walks over to join Finnick on the couch. “Go ahead and draw up the normal working contract. Leave some room for what she wants to add. I have a feeling that she doesn’t want her face shown.”

“Standard pay?”

“Yes, for now. If the audience loves her like I think they will, we’ll pay her in tips from the show.” 

Katniss joins them. She nervously looks around before she says, “I’m going to go now. Do you need me to do anything else?”

Peeta stands and walks towards her saying, “You will be back tomorrow. Finnick is going to draw up a contract. We will go over your limits tomorrow and go from there. Like you don’t want to show your face in prints or the show, right?”

“Yes, that sounds good.” They reach the door. Instead of stopping like she expects him to, Peeta walks her to her car. She quickly wishes him, goodbye. And gets in the car. He watches her pull out and goes back in his studio.

Finnick pauses in the door way on the way home to Annie. “I’ve been working with you for a couple of years now. You have never looked at anyone the way you were looking at her.”

“And?”

“And nothing. I’m just telling you what I saw. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Peeta wishes him and locks the door behind him. He goes through the studio, turning off the lights and putting the tea service up. 

Soon, he is in his loft apartment, and gets into the shower. He lets his thoughts wander over what just happened. Katniss didn’t say much, but with eyes like hers, she doesn’t have to. He has been taking pictures for years now, of thousands of people. But when he was securing her rope, and she put her hands on her head, it stirred something in him that he can’t ignore. He has dreamed of someone coming along and being submissive to him. Even now, he can feel his own hardness, begging to be released. He gets some soap, and slides his hand, and finds it not difficult at all to imagine Katniss is there doing it for him. 

-=-=-=-=-=

There will be more!!! I promise!!! Will you let me know what you do think? Please?!?!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here is chapter two!!!! See I told you there would be more! I still can’t believe the response I got from the first chapter! I have a storyline and all that good stuff planned out, along with some cannon elements to throw in, and yeah, I’m glad that you found me, and I’m glad that you came back for more!
> 
> As always, I need to thank sohypothetically. If you just realized how much time she spends helping not only me, but other writers, to make our thoughts and stories that we think about in the middle of the night, something that you can read… well she is wonderful! I also couldn’t have done this without my cheerleaders, my m&m’s. They not only cheer me on, but are more than happy to pre-read what I send for them. And are excited to do it! 
> 
> And then for the hubs. He is still so supportive of me. And he did want to tie me into a hog-tie, but I did tell him no, and I tied him instead ;) I also need to thank the kinky ones who have made ropes something more than just tying wrists and ankles to bedposts. It has really turned into an art form. I found many videos on YouTube, just like Katniss did. Twisted Monk, Two Knotty Guys and Midori have some of the best. And even if you just tie your partner to the bed posts, please have scissors for the just in case! Play safe!!
> 
> And again… this is about rope play. And sub-space. And don’t forget the aftercare!!!!

Katniss wakes up, not to the sound of her alarm like she usually does, but to the sound of a text message. She reaches quickly for her phone, wondering if it might be Prim. Instead, she sees a number that she doesn’t recognize. She opens it up and it says, “When you come tonight, bring a bathing suit. Bikini if you have one. Or even a sports bra and boy shorts. I need you in tighter clothes because I need to do some test shots. By the way, this is Peeta.”

When she moves so she can sit up, she feels a slight burn in-between her legs. She isn’t sore, but she feels different. Not really knowing what else to say, she types, “Ok. See you tonight.” She sends the message back to him and saves his number. 

It’s only five more minutes before her alarms rings, so she turns it off and gets ready for work. 

Kpkpkpkp

 

The day crawls. Katniss finishes up the warehouse count, and Peeta spends the day in front of the computer. Its finally quitting time for Katniss, and she hurries home to take a quick shower and gets the bikini that Prim bought for her last year for their beach trip. 

She tries not to think about how Peeta made her feel last night. He is a professional after all, she tells herself. There is even going to be some kind of contract. That has to be there to protect her, right?

She pulls up in the parking lot, and notices that she is ten minutes early. She decides to go on in. she opens the door and can hear music playing in the background. She doesn’t recognize the tune, but it is relaxing all the same. She sees Peeta sitting with Finnick in the seating area. Finnick sees her first; Peeta looks up when he sees his friend wave her over to join them. 

She sits down in the same spot as last night and notices right away the folder on the table beside the tea service. She just has time to notice that there are four cups on the tray when they are joined by another woman carrying the tea pot. It only takes Katniss a moment to recognize her as the model from the book. She sets down the tea pot, and offers Katniss her hand. 

Finnick introduces her. “Annie, darling, this is Katniss. She is going to be taking your place. Katniss this is my beloved, Annie.” 

“It is very nice to meet you,” Annie gushes, as she and Katniss shake hands. “I think you will like working with Peeta. He is so creative, and really tries to make you look beautiful.” 

She moves to sit in the other chair and Finnick grabs her hand and pulls her onto his lap instead. Katniss can’t help the feeling of watching something really intimate; so she looks away and catches Peeta staring at her. She locks eyes with him and she sees that same look that he had last night. She feels herself blushing, she drops her eyes to her hands clasped in her lap. 

Peeta clears his throat, and she looks up at him again. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, please.” She watches him pour. “May I ask you two something?”

Peeta and Finnick smile that secret smile of theirs before Annie catches them. “Don’t do that to her. She is going to think you two are keeping a big secret.” Annie then says, “You are more than welcome to ask me.”

Katniss smiles at Annie. “How did all this start?”

For some reason, Katniss isn’t surprised that it’s Finnick who speaks. “I grew up in N’orlins, or New Orleans to everyone outside of Louisiana. When Katrina hit, I was a young lad of 21. My parents packed everything we could fit into 2 trucks, and we came to North Carolina. I was on a trip to Atlanta to pick up Peeta here at the airport, and I was approached by a modeling agency. Long story short, I started modeling. Peeta here tagged along.”

Then Peeta starts, “I was already taking pictures and starting to build a business. One day, someone was sick and they handed me the camera. Soon I was doing my own shoots. Then we went to a convention in Las Vegas.”

“Ah, yes Vegas. I’m surprised we didn’t get into more trouble out there.” Finnick chuckles.

Annie hits his arm. “You don’t always have to go looking for trouble.”

He kisses her. “No, love. Trouble finds me. She is drawn to me.” 

They look into one another’s eyes and start to laugh. Finnick covers her slight bulge with his palm and Katniss begins to guess what is happening when he says, “I love to feel him kicking me. He is swimming all around in there.” 

Instead of looking away, Katniss smiles along with them. Peeta begins again. “Anyway, there was another convention in another hotel while we were there. We went over one night and they were doing scenes—“

Katniss interrupts, “What are scenes?”

Annie answers, “It’s roleplaying. Like, there might be a couple dripping candle wax on each other. There might be another whipping. Stuff like that.”

Katniss nods, hoping that they take it as her understanding. She will have to Google all of this when she gets home.

“We watched one scene where a woman was tying up a man. Growing up, and helping Dad on the fishing boat on the weekends, I knew some about knots. But seeing someone tying someone up with ropes—“

Peeta interrupts Finnick, “We were fascinated. So we bought some videos on how to do it. Then we started playing around with the knots.” He gestures towards some of the more complex pictures on the wall that she didn’t notice the night before. There was a couple tied into what looks like a human heart. Another shows a couple tied into a tree. “I took some pictures, and everyone went crazy for them. I actually have a list of requested pieces that I’m hoping that you will be able to help me with.” He reaches for her hand. “How does that sound?” His thumb traces the same path it did last night. 

Does he even know that when he is rubbing her hand like that, she can’t think straight? “I think I can do that. What is the contract about?”

“It’s really just an agreement that we write down. Either one of can tear up the papers at any time. We can take away and add anytime to it.” Peeta gives her some papers. “You can read them. I added the bit about our agreement about our safe word. And about showing your face. I have a demonstration next week at the club where your friends met me. Do you think you could help me with it?”

“I think so?” she stutters. “I’ll have to be topless?”

He looks at her for a moment before he answers, “I think, since this will be your first one, you can have a bathing suit on. What did you bring to wear today?”

“A bikini.”

“Why don’t you go change and we will get started.”

Katniss gets up, and so do Finnick and Annie. Annie throws her arms around her in an unexpected hug. Katniss returns it. “We have to go. I’m starving and Peeta has rules about eating in here.” Annie says in her ear. She pulls away and says softly, “Peeta is a good guy. He seems tough and hard, and he is a bit of a perfectionist. But he is learning that there is beauty in the imperfect. He will be gentle with you.” Then she says louder so the guys can hear her, “If he isn’t, I’ll beat him up!”

They all share a laugh and Finnick pulls Annie away. Katniss thinks about what Annie said. It helps to calm the nervousness she has been feeling since she arrived. They all exchange goodbyes and Katniss grabs her bag and goes to change into her sunset orange bikini. 

She can still hear them talking, but they are too far away to make out what they are saying. Then it’s quiet. She adjusts the straps, and swallowing her fear, she steps out from behind the screen. Why didn’t she bring a cover-up? She looks around for Peeta, but doesn’t see him anywhere. The music changes and he emerges from a hallway she hadn’t noticed before. 

He pauses and she can feel his eyes roaming over her. She knows what he is looking at, and instead of demanding what is wrong with her, he simply gestures for her to come over to him. She is starting to get some feeling back where she was burned, so when he lightly touches the scar that starts under her arm and extends to her belly button, she feels a surge of desire pool in her core. 

“What happened?” he whispers.

“I was in a car wreck about five years ago.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me yesterday about it?”

“I don’t know?” she stutters. “I didn’t think it would matter.”

He steps back and seems like he is in deep thought. She starts to say something, when he interrupts, “I might not be able to put you in a chest rigging, but I can work around that.” he circles her, examining her closely. “Are there anymore burnt places?”

She reaches up and removes her hair tie. She loosens her braid, and then starts to part her hair so he can see her scalp. There is another scar. It’s a bald patch, only about three inches in length and half an inch wide, but now he knows why she wears a braid. She jumps a little when he gently touches her arm. “I am so sorry that this happened to you. Are you doing alright now?”

She gives him a nod, and says, “I was in the hospital for about a month. Prim, my sister, was in there longer. Her burns are on her legs.” 

“Do you think you can still do this with me? Let’s try a corset and see how it feels. Ok?”

That is when she notices that the table he used last night is out again, and on it are coils of rope and the scissors. She gives him a nod, and she doesn’t mind when he reaches out to touch the scar again. She knows that he doesn’t pity her, and she appreciates that. “Prim bought me this bikini last year. She said that I was done hiding.”

He smiles at her and agrees. “You shouldn’t hide at all.” she starts to re-braid her hair and he stops her with a touch. “Why don’t you leave it down? It won’t be in the way.” 

She simply nods as he picks up and unwinds the bright red rope. For some reason, watching him run his hands over the rope until he finds the ends is mesmerizing. His movements still and she looks up to him. He quietly says, “Can you put your hands on top of your head?”

Silently, she does what she is told and he places the section of rope above her breasts. He moves behind her, and she shivers in anticipation when she feels his warm breath on the back of her neck. She can smell cinnamon on it and before she thinks she says, “What did you have for supper? I can smell the cinnamon and chocolate.”

He pauses for a second before he chuckles. “Annie brought me a cinnamon bun hot chocolate from Starbucks.” 

He comes back into her view. “What is that? It sounds heavenly.”

“When I first met Annie she was working at that one on Charlotte Street. Finnick and I went in one day and I didn’t know what I wanted, so she made me that. It’s a pump of mocha, cinnamon dolce, vanilla, and caramel. They taste like you are drinking a cinnamon bun from my family’s bakery. I don’t drink them all the time, but every once in a while, Annie will bring me one.” He disappears to follow the rope   
as he winds it around her, and she can feel him threading the rope through and bringing it underneath her breasts. He repeats the pattern, bringing the rope above her breasts. It feels like he is making some kind of knot, and she goose-pimples in response. He brings the rope over her shoulder and turns her so she is facing him again. He runs his fingers along the rope that dips in between her breasts, and eases the rope underneath the others. 

His touch burns her skin like she is on fire. His head is bowed, following the rope as he winds it around her. He hasn’t told her to drop her hands, so they still rest on the top of her head. The top of his head is inches away from her nose, and before she realizes what she is doing, she catches herself as she starts to lean closer to him so she can smell him better… 

He puts his hand on her ribcage and steadies her. “Are you ok? You were leaning a little bit.” 

She wishes she could fight the flush she knows darkens her cheeks. “I lost my balance.”

He smiles, threads the rope back through, and brings it over her other shoulder, brushing her skin as he goes. This time he stops and she can feel him tying the rope into a knot. He turns her again so he can admire his handiwork.

He picks up another strand from the table and loosens it. Once again, she watches him find the ends and then the middle of the rope. It feels like his touch lingers on her when he brings the middle of the rope through the front of the harness. “This is a larks-head loop,” he informs her, breaking into her thoughts. 

He pulls the rope through and steps closer to her than he has been before, bringing the rope around her torso. She can’t help the breath that catches when she feels him guiding the rope, closer than he’s been before. He pauses, but doesn’t look up at her. 

She can feel his touch lingering on the rope that is already around her. He continues winding, and she continues to lean into him, getting closer and closer. Getting another sniff, she knows that smell now. He smells of sunshine and the meadow that is out beside her house. 

His touch lingers on her scar as he places the rope over it. He goes ahead and wraps her torso with a couple more strands of the rope, covering about half of the scar. “How does that feel?”

She takes a deep breath, and wills herself to relax. She has spent so much time protecting that part of her, it feels weird to have someone touch her there. She is surprised that the ropes aren’t hurting her at all. In fact, it feels like they are protecting her and enveloping her in an embrace. She blinks fast to fight the tears of relief that try to escape. “It feels good,” she chokes out. “It really does.” she gives him a smile that she hasn’t smiled in years. 

He returns it, and holds her where the rope embraces her. She almost feels like he is going to kiss her when he asks instead, “Are you going to do the workshop with me next week?” 

“What are you going to be doing exactly? Will it be a scene like what Annie was talking about?”

“No. At this one, I will be showing couples how to start using ropes with each other. It won’t be anything hard core.”

“I guess it will be ok?”

He watches her for a moment like he wants to say something besides, “It will be.” he continues, “I will be teaching them the harness I used on you last night, the harness you are wearing now, and different ways to tie the hands and feet. Most also want to know how to hog-tie someone and there is a combination chest and leg tie also. I thought we could practice a couple of them.”

She isn’t exactly sure what she is getting herself into even though she watches some videos on it all last night on YouTube. For some reason, when he says ‘hog-tie’, it makes her want to run out the door. She must have a worried look on her face, because he looks concerned when she says, “Hog-tie? People really want to know how to hog-tie someone?”

“They do. It’s a show of dominance.” He picks up a coil of rope. “It’s not up to us to ask why they might want to do something. It’s up to us to show them how to do it without killing or seriously injuring their play partner. Let me finish the corset, and then I’ll show you the hog-tie.” She can’t help the shiver that runs down her spine. She knows he feels it too when he puts down the rope and rests his hands on her, on top of the ropes he just coiled around her. I know that you don’t trust me yet. Do you?”

He waits for her to shake her head, and she whispers, “I want to though.”

He pulls her close into an unexpected hug. His hands feel so good to her attention-starved body. She starts to melt against him when he whispers in her ear, “Baby, you have to trust me. I’m not going to ask you to do anything that you aren’t ready to do.” He moves his head so she can nuzzle his neck. “And I know that you can do this. If I didn’t think you could, I wouldn’t have picked you.” He wraps his arms around her bringing her close to him. This time, when she quivers, it’s in anticipation. It’s because he whispers in her ear. “Everything I have asked you to do, you have done wonderfully. How about if we do this? I’ll start the tie, and when you start to feel uncomfortable, you can use your safe word. What is your safe word?”

“Mockingjay,” she says softly.

“Hmmm,” he mummers. “I’m proud of you for remembering it.” She signs into his embrace even more when he runs his fingers through her hair. “I’m going to get you out of the corset. Ok?”

All she can do is nod. He moves her to a stool so she can sit. He uncoils the rope from her body, rubbing the indentions it’s left on her body. He leaves the chest harness on and guides her to a mat in the corner of the room. She inhales, fighting the anxiety, and he rubs her back. “We don’t have to do this now if you are that nervous.”

“No. I want to try.”

He thinks for a moment and then suggests, “I have an idea. How about if I get a blindfold?”

“If you think it might help?”

He takes off his t-shirt. Before she realizes what he is doing, he ties it over her eyes. She immediately starts to relax as she breathes in his scent. “Now, get on your knees, here on the mat.” He helps her, and she focuses on his voice as he gives her more directions. He says simply, “Lie down.” And guides her onto her stomach. Then he leads her hands behind her back, where he ties them to the chest harness. She can feel him sitting back as he asks, “How does that feel?”

She wiggles a little bit. “That’s ok.”

He pats her shoulder. “Can we keep going?”

“Yes.” 

He picks her legs up, and she can feel him tying her ankles together. “Now, I’m going to attach your ankles to your harness. Then I’m going to pull you into an arch.” He slowly pulls the rope, and she can feel the rope pulling her feet up. He then feels where the rope is against her neck. “Is the rope rubbing there? Does it feel ok?”

All she can do is nod, and try to relax into the ropes. She didn’t think that she would even remotely enjoy this, and she isn’t sure how she feels about being so vulnerable. “Can you remove your shirt, now?”

He pulls it off of her, and she misses the warmth. She relaxes into the ropes, testing them to see how they hold her weight. She even starts to smile. “How do you feel?” he asks.

She sighs. “I don’t think I feel the ropes anymore.”

Understanding dawns on his face. “It sounds like you entering sub-space.” He loosens the rope helps her to relax into the mat. 

She puts her head on his t-shirt and he un-ties her ankles and hands. He pulls the rope off of her, and she rolls over, tries to sit up and topples on over. “Why do I feel drunk?” she asks.

He helps her up, and unties the rest of the rope that is around her. She is unsteady on her feet, so he scoops her up and carries her down the hallway she saw him come from earlier. He gently sets her down on the couch and covers her with the throw on the back. She brings the throw to her nose and breathes deeply, enjoying his scent again. He reappears, with a glass of ice water. He helps her to drink, and then pulls her, with a squeak, onto his lap. 

He adjusts them, until they fit together, skin-to-skin. Her head rests on his shoulder, and his hand is on her back, rubbing the dents left by the rope. “You like to feel that don’t you?”

He stops for a moment, and then chuckles. “I like to see the results of my work. To me, one of the most beautiful things about what I do is a woman bearing the marks of my rope work. I know it sounds barbaric—“

“No, it doesn’t.” She realizes in her foggy, endorphin-flooded brain that she needs to be careful, she just isn’t sure of what. “I like it. I like the feel of the rope on me. That is why I came back.”

Now when he rubs her back, he rubs all of it. And then he hugs her tight. She returns his embrace, feeling for the first time in years that she is home. She sighs, and thinks, “He feels so good.” 

He stops rubbing her back, but she then starts to touch him. She lazily opens one eye to watch her fingers trace his collar bone, blazing her own path on his skin. They travel down his arm, squeezing the firm bicep. She moves her hand to his chest, and draws her fingers along his muscles, smiling when he quivers under her touch. “He is so beautiful.” She thinks again, enjoying the feel of his abs. Finally she rests her hand over his heart, and keeps it there, as she enjoys the fluttering underneath her hand. 

“Will I always feel this way when we are finished?” she asks.

“You might. You feel this way because of how nervous you felt about being hog-tied. You did really well. I’m so proud of you.”

Why does his praise make her stomach flip? She yawns, and closes her eyes to rest for a moment. Before she realizes it, she is asleep. 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

She is already relaxed, but he knows the moment when she falls asleep she goes even limper in his arms. ‘Well I guess that means she isn’t ready to drive home after all.’ He thinks, he doesn’t say his thoughts out loud like she did. No one has ever called him beautiful before. His creations, yes. Him, no. he isn’t sure what to think about it. 

He shouldn’t be holding her like this. He never held any of his other models, but they didn’t panic like she had when he mentioned hog-tying them. And it’s not like he can’t call someone to come over to play. Cashmere has hinted around about doing that for years. But he just can’t bring himself to do it. No one else has stirred up the desire he is feeling either. He has worked so hard over the years to keep his reputation clean in the industry. Unlike so many others, who don’t mind taking their relationship with their models further, he never did that. He can either think of Katniss as an excuse to finally get to play as they work together, or he needs to stay away and keep it strictly professional. It’s hard to think about her like that though. Especially when she is pressed against him, clinging to him, with her hand over his heart. 

For just a moment, he allows himself to smell the top of her head. Even though fall is here with the leaves turning, and raining down, she smells like a fresh spring day. He takes another deep whiff, and decides, yes, she smells like summer. She is even wearing his favorite color, sunset orange. He doesn’t even notice when he pulls her in tighter and she sighs in her sleep. His eyes start to feel heavy too, and he can’t fight them closing. 

Kpkpkppkp

She wiggles against the arm holding her down. Why is Prim in her bed? She must have had a nightmare and got in the bed with her sometime in the night. She grunts and rolls over to check on her before she goes to pee. She sees blond curls, but they are shorter than Prim’s hair ever was. 

She gasps when she realizes whose curls she is admiring. He lifts his face up and blinks a couple of times until he focuses on her. She backs up and ends up falling off of the couch. She jumps to her feet and says, “I’ve got to pee.” Before she rushes to where she knows the bathroom is in the studio.

‘Why am I still here? Oh yeah, I’m wasn’t in any shape to drive home.’ She quickly changes into her regular clothes behind the screen and checks her cell phone. She can’t believe that its 1:55 am. Tucking it into her pants, she goes back to his loft to tell him that she is leaving so he can lock the door.

She walks in, seeing him looking out over the view of the city lights. He hears her approaching, and turns to watch her cross the room. He has, she assumes, taken his contacts out and put on his glasses. ‘Damn. He has abs like that, and he has to have glasses too?’ She keeps on walking to him, even though she can feel herself getting weak in the knees. 

“I need to be getting home. I have to work in the morning.”

“What is today? Wednesday? Can you come by tonight? Once you have some more experience you won’t have to come over as much.” He reaches into his pants pocket and gets out a check that he hands her. “That should make us even.”

The check says two hundred and fifty dollars. “But I didn’t work that much—“

“Yes, you did. I paid you for subspace. That is that drunk feeling you were feeling.” He kisses her on the forehead and takes her arm to guide her to the door. He unlocks it, and looks around the parking lot before he walks out with her. She unlocks her Jeep door, and slides in. He stands in the open door, and she sees the longing on his face. Before she can say anything, he says goodnight, then asks her to text him when she gets home. He closes the door of the Jeep. She watches him in her rear view mirror until he is out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!!!! I have been busy! First I need to say that I own nothing, but the rope in my bedroom. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience with this chapter. I also have a little announcement. Just in case you didn’t know, there is a little something called NaNoWriMo is happening in November. You challenge yourself to write a novel during that month. I am still kicking around some ideas, but I have decided to participate. I might work on Twisted as part of it, and if I do, then I will share what I did in December. If I survive that is. But I will update as soon as possible, and I am not abandoning this story. I try to finish what I’ve started. 
> 
> Now, I need to thank sohypothetically for her help. She has become a wonderful friend, and if you haven’t read any of her stuff, then I encourage you to! I need to thank my sweet and wonderful readers, m&m. I love the way you help me!!! I think I can do this, with your encouragement, I know I can. That means so much!!! 
> 
> And I have been using many of the local businesses around me as inspiration. Many of them will never know about this, but I want to thank them anyway. 
> 
> Thank you dear reader. As always, play safe, and if you want more information… just message me. 
> 
> Please tell me what you think…

Katniss: Are you awake?

Prim: Yes, just got to the hospital. What’s up?

Katniss: I just put $200 in your checking. Is that enough?

Prim: Yes!!! Thank you so much! How did you get the money?

Katniss: I found a part time job.

Prim: Doing what?

Katniss: I’m modeling for an artist. 

Prim: !!!!! You’re what?! 

Katniss: I’m modeling. I’ve got to go. I need to talk to Haymitch.

Prim: Oh, ok. TTYL.

Katniss hates not being able to tell Prim what she is doing, but she is too busy at school to worry about her. Today is Thursday, and she can send her more money tomorrow which is her normal payday. 

She putts her cell away, when Madge suddenly appears beside her desk. “What did you do last night?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s weird. It’s almost like you have a glow.”

“A glow?” Katniss snorts. “What in the hell are you talking about?”

Madge shrugs. “You just seem different somehow. This has to do with Peeta Mellark doesn’t it? Did he hire you?”

“I thought I told you?” when Madge shakes her head, Katniss continues, “I worked last night and the night before. He wants me to come back tonight.”

“Well that’s good isn’t it? How is it going?”

Memories of last night come rushing back, and Katniss feels the flush invading her cheeks. She ducks her head, pretending to look for something in her purse so Madge can’t see. “It’s good. I’m learning a lot.”

“That’s good. Do you want to go grab some lunch?”

“Yes! Let’s go.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss and Madge are eating, when Katniss’s cell chimes. She checks it, thinking that it might be Prim wanting to know more about the ‘modeling’ job, but it’s Peeta, instead.

Peeta: Hey, I hate to do this, but I’m going to have to cancel tonight. Can you come over tomorrow instead?

She tries to keep the disappointment off of her face as she reads it. She responds that it’s fine and she will see him tomorrow. 

Madge notices and asks, “What’s wrong? Is Prim ok?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. That was Peeta. He canceled on me. Which is ok. I can get some things done since I won’t be home Saturday.”

“Why aren’t you going to be home Saturday?”

“Oh, I’m going to be helping Peeta with a workshop then.” Katniss realizes what she said as soon as the words leave her mouth. “Crap! I wasn’t going to tell you that.”

Madge starts to laugh. “Why weren’t you going to tell me? Afraid that I might show up?” When she sees the look of horror on Katniss’s face, she knows that’s the reason. “You really weren’t going to tell me? I’m a little hurt.”

“It’s not that,” Katniss admits. “I don’t really want to my friends to see me tied up. We’ll be at the same club you met him at.” 

“I’m not going to embarrass you. I promise. I am proud of you for doing something, well anything, to help your sister. Not just anyone would do that.”

“Well, she is all that I have now—“

“No,” Madge interrupts. “You have me, and, in a weird way, I know that you have Gale and Jo, too. You know Missy? From advertising?” Katniss nods. “Did you know that she has two sisters? Well from what she was telling me, one of them won’t talk to her because she missed her child’s birthday party, and now her other sister won’t talk to her either. She can’t figure out why because she won’t talk to her.”

The girls start laughing together at the absurdity of that. “She can’t figure out why, because she won’t talk to her?” Katniss giggles. “That’s too funny.”

Madge shakes her head. “I can’t believe I just said that. Anyway, you get what I’m trying to say. Not just anyone would do what you are doing for your sister. And that is why I’m proud of you.”

Kpkpkpkp

Finnick walks into the studio just as Peeta is setting his phone down. He eyes Peeta warily as he sets down his bag. “What are you doing?”

Peeta’s fingers rub his temples, trying to ease the headache gathering there. “Texting Katniss. I think I’m coming down with something.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Headache, I couldn’t sleep last night. What are you doing here?”

“I had to come into town to check on Haymitch. Did you know the brewery has doubled in orders?” Finnick excitedly says.

Peeta brightens a bit. “That’s great. What is selling?”

“They are working overtime to keep up with the pumpkin brew orders and everyone maybe better put in their orders for the Christmas one. Have you thought of a name for that yet?” 

Peeta came up with the idea of the beer, when Finnick first told him that he was going to invest their money from Twisted in the brewery that was being built. Little did the guys know that they original owners had to declare bankruptcy and left the mess to Finnick and Peeta when they skipped town. Finnick still helps Peeta with workshops, and shows; and has been networking to get their brand, Knotted Brewworks, to the people. While Peeta continues working with the ropes, the workshops, the shows and the artwork. 

The Christmas brew was born one evening when Finnick was showing Peeta the mixing vats. Remembering an old family recipe, Peeta mixed together cinnamon, all-spice, sweet orange peel, and a dash of cloves finished it off. The result is a dark, Belgian style beer.

“How about, if we call it something like, Mellark’s Christmas punch?” Finnick suggests. 

Finnick knows how he feels about that. “How about O’dair’s Harvest Brew?” Peeta replies.

“You know, I like it.” Finnick says with his cheeky grin. “What time is Katniss coming tonight?”

Peeta ducks his head. “I told her not to come over. I need to finish finalizing what I’m doing for the workshop—“

“I call bullshit.”

“Why are you calling bullshit?”

“Well I be damned,” Finnick says under his breath. “You are falling in love with her.”

“What?” Peeta stutters. “I am not. She is just another model.”

“Then why do you look so guilty?”

“I do not look so guilty. I don’t feel good. That is why I look this way.”

“What happened last night after Annie and I left?” Finnick asks.

Peeta sighs, “I started going over what we will be doing for the workshop. When I mentioned that a hog-tie is one of the ties—“

“She freaked out?” Finnick guesses.

“She did. She insisted on doing it anyway. So I blindfolded her, and she did it. Well, with the anxiety she was feeling about it—“

“Did she go into sub-space?” Finnick waits for Peeta’s nod, and with a whistle, “That was only her second time of being tied? That’s crazy. Usually you have to work harder to get it. Wait, so what time did she go home last night? You didn’t make her drive, did you?”

“Give me more credit than that,” Peeta snaps at him. “I do know how to do this without you here. I got her some water, and we cuddled on the couch until we fell asleep.”

Finnick looks at the love seat in the sitting area in the studio. “You went to sleep on that couch?”

“No,” this time, he answers sheepishly. “I took her to the apartment. She left at about two. Just because we cuddled and took a nap, doesn’t mean that I have feelings for her.” 

Finnick doesn’t mention that Peeta has never done that with anyone before, and instead asks what ties he is going to be doing Saturday.

Kpkpkpkp

It’s after work on Thursday, and Katniss pulls into the parking lot at Peeta’s. ‘Why do I feel so nervous?’ she asks herself. ‘I’m not the reason why he canceled yesterday. He must have been really busy.’ She notices the same car in the parking lot that was here the other night. ‘That must be Finnick’s’ maybe he will stay this time, and I won’t do that weird, drunk spacey thing I did the other night.’ She says to herself.

She makes her way inside to where Peeta, Finnick and Annie are laughing. Annie wipes her eyes and smiles a welcome to Katniss, waving her over to the sitting area. “Finnick is telling us awful jokes. Tell her one, honey.”

Finnick begins with a laugh. “This beautiful woman walks into a doctor’s office one day and the doctor is bowled over by how stunning she is. All his professionalism goes right out the window. He tells her to take off her pants. She does, and he starts rubbing her thighs. ‘Do you know what I am doing?’ asks the doctor? ‘Yes, checking for abnormalities,’ she replies. He tells her to take off her shirt and bra, she takes them off. The doctor begins rubbing her breasts and asks, ‘Do you know what I am doing now?’ she replies, ‘Yes, checking for cancer.’ Finally, he tells her to take off her panties, lays her on the table, gets on top of her and starts having sex with her. He says to her, ‘Do you know what I am doing now?’ She replies, ‘Yes, getting herpes – that’s why I am here!’”

They all laugh together. Peeta says, “What gets longer when pulled, fits in between breasts, inserts neatly into a hole, and works best when jerked?”

The ladies giggle and Finnick just smirks. It’s Katniss who finally asks, “What is it?”

Peeta grins at them and says, “A seatbelt.” And they all dissolve into laughter again. After a moment, they grow quiet, relaxing together. 

It’s Katniss who says something first. “Am I ready for Saturday?”

“Almost,” Peeta says. “Finnick and Annie are staying tonight to help us get ready.”

A little while later, Peeta has tied her up in all of the knots he has shown her plus a couple of new ones that are mostly for securing her wrists and ankles. Finnick and Annie pretend that they are audience members who are tying the knots right along with them. Since Peeta has done this so much, his instructions are easy to follow, and his confidence helps Katniss to relax and enjoy what he is doing to her. 

All too soon, Peeta announces that they are finished, and that he will see them all tomorrow at the club, bright and early. Katniss leaves at the same time as Finnick and Annie but can’t help looking back at Peeta, who stands in the doorway watching them. She wants nothing more than to turn her Jeep around and run into his arms. She sighs in defeat, and heads home instead.

Kpkpkpkpkp

Katniss wakes up at her usual time, nervous and excited. In the shower, she shaves everything she thinks she could possibly need to shave. She wonders if she’ll need to start waxing as a side-effect of the job. She decides not to eat breakfast- after all they never talked about what would happen if she needed to go to the bathroom while tied up. Hopefully, there will be plenty of breaks. 

The workshop starts at nine o’clock, and Katniss makes it to the club an hour before starting. They all meet and start walking across the parking lot. It’s a bit chilly, so Katniss is wearing her favorite hoody and running shorts. She can feel Peeta eyeing her. She turns to where he walks behind her and gives him a questioning look. 

“You brought your bikini, right?” he asks.

She holds up her bag. “I have it, plus water and something for lunch.”

He nods approvingly. “I was going to buy you lunch. I guess I forgot to tell you.”

“It’s just a peanut butter bagel.” She smiles. “I’ll let you buy me lunch.”

He throws his arm around her shoulders, surprising her. He guides her to a back door and unlocks it with a key on his ring. “I can’t have you growing weak on me. It’s going to be a long day. But there is a lot I need to show everyone.” They come to a dressing room. “You can put your stuff in there. I want to show you the stage and where everything will be.”

Finnick comes up behind him carrying a bin that Katniss knows is full of rope. For this workshop, organic hemp rope is included in the price. Annie will give each couple a bundle when they complete their registration. There is also rope for sale. 

Soon, they are all upstairs. Annie sets up her table, while Finnick and Peeta disappear into the huge room that makes up the main part of the club. Katniss decides to check on Annie instead of following them. Annie says, “Why don’t you start unpacking the rope, and I’ll sort it. Some of it is for sale, and some is what is included.”

Katniss helps Annie get everything set up, and soon Annie announces, “Katniss, its 8:30. Can you go see where Finnick is? I think there are people are starting to line up outside.” Katniss glances out the long, narrow window in the door, and sees the line starting to form.

“How many couples are we expecting?”

“I think twenty-five? I have spots open for five more.” 

Katniss tries to quell the anxiety that threatens to overwhelm her. “Ok. I’ll go find Finnick for you.” 

She walks into the main part of the club, looking for the men. On one side of the room, there is a huge stage for the bands and comedians who come through Asheville. On the other side of the room, is a small platform that is set up just for them. She sees Peeta’s table, with his familiar coils of rope and his ever present safety scissors. There is a big wooden frame sitting off to the side that she has never seen before. She starts to wonder what it is, when Finnick interrupts her. “Are you ready?”

“I guess,” she shrugs. “There are people starting to line up. Annie sent me to find you.”

“Oh, good. Peeta is finishing up.” He looks behind him towards the big stage. “If you go up those stairs there,” he points to the side stairs leading up to the stage. “You’ll see him backstage. He wants to know when you are going to change.”

She follows his directions, and quickly locates Peeta. He is adjusting the sound system so he can use the lapel mic. She quietly steps closer to him, wanting to bury her nose in that place in his neck where she can feel his heartbeat, when he surprises her by turning around. She jumps, and he grabs her, steadying her. They stand there for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes, Peeta whispers, “Why are you sneaking up on me?”

She blushes and admits, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to startle you. Finnick said that you wanted to see me before I go change.”

With a gentle squeeze, he rubs her arms. “Are you ready for this?”

She releases a shuttering breath, and tears spring to her eyes. His face softens, he pulls her close into his arms, and presses her nose to the very place she wanted to be. 

Several more tears make their escape while one hand strokes to the back of her head, the other snakes around her waist to tenderly hold her. 

They stand there for several minutes behind the curtain, until they hear people starting to make their way into the room behind them. They are slow to separate, as if they are waiting for something to happen. Peeta adds to the spell when he says, “I will not do anything to hurt you. This is going to be a fun day, and I even have some surprises planned for you. Did Annie give you the mask?”

When she nods, he continues, “Do you remember your safe word?”

She whispers, “Mockingjay.”

He smiles in approval and tugs her braid gently. “Let’s go get ready. Ok?”

She quickly changes into her bikini and slips on her old bathrobe. Peeta is waiting for her out in the hallway. He lifts his eyebrow in a questioning look. She’s smiles back at him, and asks, “What?”

“You look too cozy to be doing a beginning bondage workshop. How old is your robe anyway?”

She ducks her head and picks at an invisible piece of lint and mummers, “It was my mom’s. I always loved this old thing.” She pauses for a moment before she continues, “Is everyone here?”

“We have about five more minutes. Do you have your mask?”

She nods and pulls it out of her pocket so she can give it to him. He brings her braid around over her shoulder, and slips it on. He adjusts the satin, Lone Ranger type mask. He smiles as he looks down at her. “How does it feel?”

She wrinkles her nose and giggles. “I know this is silly—“

“It’s not silly. It’s actually a neat idea. I need to call you something besides Katniss.” He reaches out and gently picks up the end of her braid. He feels her hair in-between his fingers. “Kitten. Can I call you Kitten?”

She tries not to think about how other people have tried to call her that. Her usual reaction is a punch in the gut. But for some reason, when Peeta calls her that, it feels… good. And comforting in a way. She gives him a slight nod, and answers, “I’ll allow it.”

He smirks at her. “You will allow it?”

She resists the urge to hit him like she would Gale. She grins at him instead, and says with what feels like a false sense of confidence, “Yes. I will allow it.” Her eyes are full of worry when she says, “Is it time?”

He glances out into the room to see the different couples talking to each other, and chatting with their neighbors. He gets his cell phone out and sends Finnick a text. Almost immediately Peeta receives one back. “Finnick says that everyone who registered is here. There are a couple of extras as well, but that’s, ok.” He gives her a hug. “Are you ready, Kitten?”

She is ready to say yes when she hears Finnick talking. Too nervous to hear exactly what he is saying, she startles when Peeta touches her hand. He looks at her questioningly, and instead of saying anything, she takes her robe off, touches her mask, and takes his hand so he can lead her out. 

She is too nervous to look directly at the couples, so she holds on to Peeta instead, even leaning into him to soak up his warmth. He doesn’t shake off her hand. Instead tucks it into his arm, so he can use both of his hands to show them the rope. 

She is hypnotized by the movement of his hands, and his voice soothes the nerves that she has been feeling all day. His hands still, and she can hear the people chuckle. She looks up at him, and he smiles at her. He takes her hand that is tucked into his elbow, kisses her palm, and vaguely she can hear a couple of the women say, “Awwwww”. 

He picks up a coil, and unwinds it. She listens to him explain the first knot, when she feels a sudden rush of bravery and looks around. She doesn’t recognize anyone, but when she read the list she didn’t see anyone then that she knows. Her gaze stops at the back of the room, when sees the familiar blonde and brunette heads of her friends. She whispers, “Oh, shit.” She knows that Peeta hears her, because he pauses. She apologizes, “I’m ok. Keep going.”

He curtly nods, and continues explaining the chest harness he is wrapping her up in. She puts her hands on the top of head and closes her eyes so she can’t see the audience. He pulls the soft bamboo rope in between her breasts and tightens it against her hot flesh. He accidently brushes her nipple, and even though she is wearing her bikini, it pebbles in response. 

She releases a shaky breath, and opens her eyes so she can see his face. His eyes steal a moment to meet hers, and with his finger, he runs his finger along the top of her breast. She inhales sharply at the contact that sends a bolt of electricity straight to her core. 

He continues to put her into the corset that he tied on her the other day. She shyly looks up and notices that no one is really paying attention to her. Instead, they are tying their partners up, some men, tying their women, and she is kind of surprised that some women are tying up their men. She hasn’t really thought about it, but it makes sense. They glance at what Peeta is doing to her, and she sees Finnick and even Annie mingling through the crowd, helping where they can. 

She sees Jo tying up a guy she has never seen before, and Madge is tying up Gale. She relaxes a little bit, her attention back on the blond head bobbing around her tightening, the rope. 

He directs everyone to finish it off and waits for everyone to catch up. She feels his fingers brush her hip and he tilts her chin up so he can look at her. She sees the silent question in his eyes, the one asking if she is good. She answers him with a small smile and when he whispers, “Good girl, Kitten.” She melts a little bit. 

When Peeta asks, “Can I have a volunteer?” It’s like someone dumped an icy bucket of water on her head. When Johanna struts to the platform with a smirk on her face, Katniss can’t help the groan that comes out of her mouth. 

Peeta throws her a worried look. Before he can say anything, Jo is there. 

Katniss bites her lower lip as she watches Peeta and Jo. No one told her about this part of the workshop, so she just stepped off the back of the platform. She hasn’t really paid attention to what Peeta has been saying so far, but now she listens. 

After they greet each other, Peeta turns to look for her. He doesn’t look very happy that she moved, so he waves her back to her place beside him. 

“Kitty, hand me a coil of rope,” he quietly commands.

She walks around Jo so that she in-between her and Peeta. She picks up the rope and hands it to him. He unties it, and starts to talk about why some people like to play with ropes. 

His soothing voice is even working on Jo, and before either woman realizes what he is doing, he has Jo on the floor in a hog tie. 

Katniss can’t hide the smile as she watches her friend struggle against the ropes. Peeta then calls to the man Katniss doesn’t recognize to come to the platform. He introduces himself as Thom. That’s when Katniss realizes that she does know him: he works in shipping at the brewery. 

“Oh, fuck,” she whispers. Peeta, briefly makes eye contact with her, as if he can hear her. She rolls her eyes at him, and he grins back at her. 

Jo starts to struggle in her ropes. “I kind of like this, and I kind of don’t. I haven’t made up my mind. Until then, can someone help me?”

Peeta points out two pieces of rope, one where her hands are, and another at her knees. “Now, Thom. As much as you might like to keep Jo here on the floor, if you will pull here, and here.” he waits for Thom to loosen Jo from her hold. “Then she can get up.”

Everyone applauds Jo and Thom. “I can stay and help you some more,” Jo volunteers.

Peeta pats her on the back. “I’ve got Kitten to help me. If I need you, I know where to find you.” He waits for them to get to the back of the room again before he continues, “Now, we will take a lunch break.”

Peeta takes Katniss’s hand and leads her through the curtain to the back hallway. She quickly picks up her robe, slips it on, and then peeks back through the curtain to see where Jo, Madge and Gale are going. 

“Who are you looking for?” he says close to her ear.

She jumps and turns around to face him. “Damn it, Peeta! You scared me. Some friends of mine ended up coming today. I know they know it’s me.”

“Is that ok?”

“Yeah, they were the ones who told me to call you”

“Well, I’m glad that they did.” he says quietly. 

Before she can say anything, Annie pokes her head through the curtain. “Hey, I was getting ready to order lunch. Where and what do you two want?”

Katniss shrugs, and Annie and Peeta start talking about downtown restaurants. Annie mentions one restaurant that is known for its good food. Katniss has never eaten there, it’s one thing that she and Prim have never been able to afford on their own. Annie starts to mention another restaurant when Peeta says, “Annie, you just want to eat there because you know that Twisted is paying for it.”

She gives him a brilliant smile. “That and the baby wants catfish. Is that where we are ordering from?”

Peeta sighs with a smile on his face, and then over-dramatically says, “I guess so. Go ask Finnick what he wants.” Annie disappears. Peeta laughs, “If that baby is anything like her, Finnick is in trouble.”

“But she seems so sweet.”

“Oh, she is. She also knows how to use that to get everything she wants. When she decided that she wanted Finnick, I knew that he didn’t have a chance. Now, let’s figure out what we want for lunch.”

Peeta and Katniss sit backstage to eat lunch, with Finnick and Annie joining them. All of the other couples left so they could find something to eat, so they are able to lock the doors of the club. Katniss is pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to hang out with them; easier than some of her other friendships. 

Soon, Finnick and Annie go to unlock the doors, while Katniss and Peeta wait for the cue to go back out. “Take off your robe,” Peeta says.

“Oh,” she stutters. She is still wearing the chest harness and the corset. She slips the robe off, and he offers to hold it for her. “I forgot that I had it on,” she admits.

He runs his hands over the rope that is wrapped around her waist. “That’s good isn’t it?”

She is so distracted by his hands, she doesn’t catch on to what he is saying. “What is good?”

He chuckles, “The ropes are staying together, and it looks good-that is what I meant. I think they might be ready for us. Are you ready?”

She just has time to nod, when he pulls her out to face the crowd.

Kpkpkpkp

The rest of the afternoon goes smoothly, and Katniss finds herself having fun. She still isn’t comfortable enough to take her mask off, and he has taken her corset and the chest harness off. But it is a good afternoon. 

After they complete all the knots and ties that Peeta had planned, they have an hour left. So, on a whim, he asks, “Does anyone have any requests?”

They have an hour left, when they complete all of the knots and ties that Peeta had planned. So on a whim, he asks, “does anyone have any requests?”

A couple of hands go up around the room. The mask is in Katniss’s way, so she can’t see who raises their hand. But she isn’t surprised when she hears Madge ask, “Is there a way that you can make a sex swing out of ropes?” is Madge’s voice.

She groans and wonders if Madge wants to actually know this, or just wants to see what Peeta is going to do. “Would you like to come closer so you can see what I’m doing?”

‘Why, oh why is this happening to me?’ she wonders, when Madge comes through the crowd dragging Gale behind her. Peeta calmly picks up another coil of rope and motions for her to come closer. She refuses to look at Madge or Gale standing there, and instead focuses on Peeta. 

He sits on the chair that Finnick brings for him, and pulls Katniss to stand in-between his legs. He is so close, and she can feel his breath on her belly button when he starts to tie the rope. And then he brings the rope in between her legs, and brushes where she is wet, very wet. He keeps on winding the rope around her waist and in between her legs, and she can’t hardly breathe from the waves of desire he is sending through her body.

She can hardly pay attention to what he is doing with the rope, so when he ties it off, and then makes some adjustments, she is surprised how quickly it’s gone. 

He stands up and continues talking, while all she can focus on is the feel of his hand where it rests against her hip, curled around the rope. 

He brings her chin up so he can see her eyes through the mask. It seems that he is always searching her eyes for something that she can’t quite figure out. “Do you trust me?” he asks.

“I think so,” she whispers. 

He turns to Madge and picks up another length of rope. “This is how you make a sex swing.” He weaves the end of the rope through the knot at her hip, and then repeats it on the other side. Before she realizes what he is doing, Finnick, with Gale’s help, carries the wooden frame over to her. Peeta then threads the rope that is still connected to her hip, through the round eye hook at the top of the frame and then ties the end to the hook on the side. It’s not really tight, but she knows that all he has to do is tighten it just a little bit, and her feet would be off the ground. Peeta then repeats it on the other side. 

Now Katniss looks at him questioningly when he steps close to her. He is several inches taller than her five-foot-four inch frame, so she has to look up to see his Carolina blue eyes. She realizes again, how blue his eyes actually are.

While she contemplates the color of his eyes, he talks to Madge and Gale. His hand still rests on her hips. “Pick your feet up,” he gently commands.

She brings her hands up to get a hold of the rope, and gives it a tug to test it for herself how strong it all is. Trusting the rope, she slowly picks up her feet. Peeta even gives her a little push, so that she swings back and forth.

The smirk he gives her is the only warning before he reaches for her knees to bring them to her chest, opening her center to him. He swings her so she can bump against him and she blushes heatedly when she realizes that she is hitting his pelvis.

Peeta continues showing her friends the different positions that he can manipulate her body into. She is so horrified, that all she can do is close her eyes and hope that he stops soon. It’s when he brings her knees up, so that they are almost parallel with his ears, that she almost says the safe word. Immediately, he stops. 

She isn’t sure if he notices her reaction to all of this, or if he is finished, but she breathes a sigh of relief when he sets her feet back on the floor. She is still catching her breath when he asks if there are any more questions. When no one says anything, he thanks them all for attending, and encourages them to come to next month’s workshop. 

She watches everyone gather their ropes and things and make their way out the door. Peeta doesn’t move from where he stands beside her. He is looking down at her when she looks up to see what he is doing. He is neither smiling nor frowning, but she automatically starts to wonder what she did wrong during the day. He surprises her when he says, “Thank you for today. You did a really good job.” And he begins to untie her from the swing.

It takes him a minute to get the knots loosened. He sits in the chair again, and motions her closer. He unties the rope around her waist, slowly unwinding it, a little at a time. 

She doesn’t miss how his touch lingers on her skin, how his breath on her stomach sends delicious chills down her spine. She even catches herself leaning into his touch, craving more from him. 

When he pulls off the last measure of rope from around her waist, it hits the floor with a soft thud. Instead of stepping away from him, she stays, looking down at where his blond curls are level with her belly button. He brings his hands up to her hips, it’s like he can’t keep from touching her there. He grazes her belly button with his nose, and it takes everything in her, not to bury her fingers into his curls. 

Instead, she steps back, and her feet get tangled up in the rope. She tries to regain her balance, and even Peeta tries to catch her. But their efforts don’t do any good when she falls off the platform. She doesn’t expect is the crunch of bone that comes from her ankle, or the pain that shoots up her back when she lands hard on her bottom. 

“Oh, fuck! That hurt!” Her ankle hurts so bad, she doesn’t even notice the tears that spring to her eyes. Before she can move, Peeta is there, moving the rope that she tripped on so he can see her foot. 

“Can you stand up?”

“I don’t think so. Can—“ Before she can even ask him for help, he picks her up and sits her in the chair he vacated. He kneels before her like some storybook prince, and moves left ankle gently to see how much it hurts. When Annie comes running to the platform.

“What happened?”

“I tripped,” admitted Katniss. “I can’t believe I’m that clumsy.”

“Well I don’t think it’s broken,” Peeta announces. “But you do need to keep it wrapped, and stay off of it for a couple of days.”

Annie rolls her eyes at him and asks, “Are you sure about that Dr. Mellark?”

“I wrestled in high school. My brothers and I had several bad sprains through high school. Let’s get you home so you can rest.”

“If you will go get the guy who was just up here? His name is Gale. He’s my neighbor and he can take me home.” 

Annie looks to Peeta. With his nod, she runs out to the foyer to see if Gale still might be there. 

Peeta stands up and picks up the ropes. “You know,” Katniss says, “I think my butt might hurt more than my ankle right now.”

“What happened to your bottom?”

“I think I landed on it the wrong way? I’m just ready to go home,” she signs. 

Annie comes back. “I don’t see him anywhere. I can take you home. I’m just not sure what to do about cars though. Finnick and I are leaving to go see his Grandma Mags in Savannah.”

“How about I take her home, and help her to get comfortable. Then you and Finnick drop off my truck on the way out of town. You are leaving right after this, right?” Peeta asks.

“We are.” Annie looks to Katniss. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? Just to make sure that it’s not broken?”

“No, I’ll be ok. I’ve hurt this ankle a couple of times in high school playing softball. That is probably why it made that cracking sound. See? I bet I can stand on it,” she says as she attempts to stand up. As soon as she puts weight on it, she starts to topple to the floor, but Peeta catches her before she lands. 

“Ok, let’s get you home. Annie can you grab her robe? It’s behind the curtain there.” he sits her back in the chair and says, “I’m going to find Finnick. Then we’ll get out of here, ok?”

Annie returns with her robe, and Peeta walks to the changing rooms. “That swing thing is pretty hot, isn’t it?” Annie says with a grin.

Katniss blushes. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Annie giggles. “Oh, yes you do! Finnick tied me up in that one night. I think that is when I got pregnant. It makes all kinds of things possible—“ she is interrupted by Finnick and Peeta, who carries Katniss’s purse and clothes join them. 

“Peeta, text me her address, and we’ll bring her Jeep by in a little bit. Katniss are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“I have my friends close by if I decide that I need to go. Right now, I just want to get home. Can we leave, Peeta?”

“Sounds good to me. Annie can you carry her stuff?” at Annie’s nod, he gathers her in his arms, and heads out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

It is strange seeing someone else drive her Jeep. 

Her ankle hurts so much, her bottom too. She is just ready to get home, so she can finally relax. She wiggles, trying to find a comfortable spot, when he asks, “Do you have an ace bandage and Epsom salts at your house?”

She thinks for a moment. “I’m starting to wonder if I should go to the emergency room.”

Worry makes his brow wrinkle. “Why do you think that?”

“My ankle is throbbing. The only other time it did that, I ended up in an air cast for six weeks.”

He hits the turn signal to turn down the street that will lead them towards the hospital. “Let’s go then.”

Kpkpkpkp

After waiting three hours, taking two x-rays, and waiting some more, the ER doctor declares that her ankle isn’t broken, just a bad sprain. He sends her home with some pain meds, and another air cast and crutches because she can’t remember where her other one ended up. As for her bottom, it’s just bruised. Badly. The doctor is sending her home with a pillow for her bottom too. 

It’s quite dark outside when they finally leave the hospital. Neither has eaten since lunch, so Peeta is very hungry, but Katniss is loopy from the pain medication the doctor gave her.

Katniss giggles when Peeta wraps his arms around her and picks her up instead of helping her to stand. She looks lovingly into his eyes, and says wistfully, “You are so strong. I love it when you just pick me up and carry me around.”

“I’ve only picked you up and carried you around today,” he chuckles.

She trails her finger down his cheek and whispers, “When I’m in your arms you make me feel so safe.”

He smiles gently at her while setting her down in the passenger seat before running around to the driver’s side and climbing back behind the wheel. Soon they are back on the road going in the direction that they were headed for before Katniss decided she should go to the hospital. “Do you have anything at your house to eat that will be gentle on your stomach?”

Katniss struggles to open her eyes. She is almost asleep from the rocking of the Jeep. “Silly Peeta. I don’t have anything to eat at my house. I was going to go shopping after the workshop.” Her eyes shoot open, “Oh, shit! I need to go to the grocery store!”

He pats her leg reassuringly. “It’s ok.” He pulls into the grocery by her house. “You stay here, and I’ll be right back. Don’t get out of the Jeep. Ok?”

She nods, and watches him exit. She digs through her purse, and pulls out her phone. Checking it, she sees that Prim called, and Madge, Annie and Jo texted. Listening to Prim first, who just called to say hello, Katniss decides to call her back, before she goes back to sleep. She isn’t surprised that she can’t reach her sister. It is nine o’clock on a Saturday night. Hopefully Prim is out with her roommates and not at the hospital working.

Next she reads the texts. Annie just wanted to check on her since they dropped Peeta’s truck off and nobody was at her house. Madge is wondering how today went. And Jo wants to know if she is screwing Peeta yet. 

She only replies to Annie, filling her in on what has happened since they last saw each other. She will talk to Madge and Jo when she isn’t comfortably numb from pain killers. 

Her phone chimes its text notification just as the back gate opens and Peeta puts the groceries in the back. She is answering Annie’s question when Peeta is crawling back in and puts the jeep in drive. “What all did you get?”

“I got some milk, eggs, and bread. I also got some other things.”

“Annie texted. They are on the way to Grandma Mag’s. They were worried since we weren’t at my house when they dropped off the truck.”

He nods. “Did you tell them what happened?”

She looks down at her phone as it chimes again. “I told them. She just said that if we need them to call.” She starts typing a reply, hesitates, then clears her throat. “How much do I owe you for groceries?”

“Nothing. I’ll take it out of what I owe you for today. Is that ok?”

She rests her head against the seat and closes her eyes before she says, “How did I do today?”

“You did really well! I know that you were nervous, but I don’t think anyone else could tell.”

She opens her eyes so she can thank him, when she sees that they are about to pass her street. “Turn here onto Ruark, then I’m the third house.”

He pulls up into the driveway, and parks beside his truck. “Stay there, and I’ll come get you.” He comes around and quickly opens the door. He swoops her up into his arms. “What door do we go in?”

“Do you still have the keys?” She waits for him to nod. “Go ahead and go to the side, kitchen door.” 

He startles a little when the security light comes on, but somehow he juggles her and the keys so that she ends up with them, so she can unlock the door. 

Once they are inside, he gently sets her down beside the counter. She wobbles just a bit, but quickly recovers her balance. “You, ok?” he asks.

“Yeah, I think so. I need to sit down.” He starts to pick her up again, but she stops him by lifting her hand. “Let me hold your arm. I need to see if I can walk at all.” He offers her his folded arm, and she gently grabs a hold of it. She eases her weight on her foot, and when she feels the sharp pain shoot up her leg, she doesn’t cry out like she wants to. She instead, grits her teeth, determined to walk across her kitchen. She doesn’t realize that her grip on his arm is getting tighter and tighter.

Even though it only take a minute or two, it feels like an eternity for her to make it to the couch. She gratefully sinks down into the overstuffed goodness that she considers to be her safe haven from the world. Peeta even stoops down to pick up her feet, so she can elevate her leg like the doctor told her to. 

“I’m going to go get the groceries. I’ll be right back.”

“Will you give me the remote? It’s on the table behind you.” He hands it to her with a small smile. She hears him walk away, and it’s not until she hears the back screen door slam shut after him that she moves to turn on the TV. 

It’s after nine on a Saturday night, so there isn’t much on, on the few channels she can afford. She can hear him approaching the door, and turns too quickly to see him, when she experiences the weird sensation that is vertigo. The room tilts and spins slightly, and she is glad that she is sitting down. What she doesn’t expect is the nausea that hits her like a steam engine.

She fights to keep the vomit down, and is struggling, when all of a sudden, the garbage can is in front of her. She grabs it and holds on as she empties her stomach. She sets the can on the floor, wanting to get away from the smell, when she feels a cold, wet washcloth on her forehead. 

She sighs in relief, and whispers, “Thank you,” as she leans back against the cushions.

He sits on the edge of the couch beside her, and continues to wash her face with the washcloth while she leans into his touch, wanting more of what he is offering, but he picks up her hand and uses it to replace his. He presses a quick kiss to her forehead and stands up. “Let me get you something to eat. That will help you more than anything.” 

She keeps the cool washcloth on her face after he brings her some crackers that were in the back of her cabinet, and some ginger ale he must have picked up at the store. She slowly nibbles and sips, and breathes a sigh of relief when her stomach settles. She smiles at him, where he perches on the edge of the couch watching her. “Thank you.”

“Do you think you can handle something else?”

She barely nods and he is coming back with a bowl of soup and a little loaf of bread. She isn’t surprised that he found the old TV trays that once belonged to her grandmother. He sets the tray on her lap, and sits back down beside her. 

She picks up her spoon, and looks closely at the soup. Well it’s not soup, she thinks. It’s too thick to be soup. She tries a small bite, and loves it when the flavors of lamb and wild rice explode across her tongue. “Oh my goodness,” she exclaims. “This is amazing! And it came out of a can?” 

“It did.” He smiles like he is remembering so many things. “My dad sold many of our old family recipes years ago. This was one of them. I remember my grandmother making this for me. Its good, isn’t it?”

She nods and mummers around the bite of stew in her mouth. “I love it!” her stomach even growls an answer too, which makes both of them laugh. She swallows and asks, “Where is yours?”

“You want me to eat with you?” he seems surprised. 

Nodding, she says, “Yes, of course I do.” She looks down into the bowl of stew, not wanting to meet his eyes. “I’ve eaten too many meals alone on this couch,” she admits through the haze of the pain meds. She watches his legs disappear, and she takes another bite.

When he returns, he sits on the end of the couch. They share a small smile, and resume eating. In-between bites, he says, “I didn’t realize I was this hungry.”

“I still can’t believe that I did that and then had to go to the hospital. I’m not usually that clumsy.” She takes her last bite. Peeta finishes up too. He takes their trays back to the kitchen, but comes right back, and presents her with a mug of something that smells like… “Is that hot chocolate?”

He barely has time to say, “It is,” by the time she is sipping it and groaning at the deliciousness that jumps from taste bud to taste bud. 

“If you keep on feeding me like this, I might not ever let you go,” slips out of her mouth. She realizes what she just said through the drug haze, but in this moment of chocolate goodness, she doesn’t care. 

He gets up and walks over to the mantle. The dread that she normally would feel when someone is getting ready to ask her about her family isn’t there this time. It must be because of the drugs, she wonders. She knows that he is looking at the family portrait that was taken when she was in kindergarten and Prim was two. She wants to say so much to him, but she can’t make the words leave her mouth. Instead she offers, “I was five in that picture. Mama made that dress for my first day, and I loved it so much I just had to wear it all the time.”

“This one?” he asks pointing to the picture. She nods, and he says, “When I was five, I wanted to be Batman or Bo Duke.”

Giggling, she asks, “from ‘The Dukes of Hazard’?” 

“I think I wanted to drive fast cars.”

“All I can remember from when I was five was playing with my sister. And wanting to go hunting with Daddy. Mama kept on saying that I was too young. So one night when I knew that he was going to meet Colton- that’s Gale’s dad. Gale was there at the workshop today. I waited until they were all asleep. Then I got in his truck so he would have to take me with him. When I woke up, I was back in my bed.”

“I would have figured they would have taken you.”

“They did the next time. They brought Gale too. They didn’t get anything, but it was a good day.” 

“Was Gale ever your boyfriend?”

“Oh, Lord no! There was this one time I thought he was going to profess his undying love to me, but I wouldn’t let myself be alone with him. I told Madge and Jo to start talking to him more to get his mind off of me. It worked. Then there was the accident—“ she makes herself stop before she says anything she doesn’t want him to know. 

“Is that the accident you got the burn from?” he asks innocently. 

“That’s the one. It’s been a long day. Are you staying, or are you going?”

“The doctor told me several times that he doesn’t want you to be alone tonight. So I’ll just crash here on the couch.”

“No, don’t be silly. If you don’t mind a lot of purple, then you can sleep in my sister’s room.”

He flashes her an easy smile. “I don’t mind. I like to tie up pretty girls. I think I can handle sleeping in a bed of purple.”

“You haven’t seen this room yet. It looks like the one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater puked in It.” she tries to stand up, and he is there before she can ask for anything. He swoops her up and heads to the stairs, while she wonders if he just likes to carry her around. 

“My room is the last one in the hallway, and my sister’s room is right there.” she points out when he reaches the top of the stairs. She tries not to notice that he isn’t out of breath at all from the climb. “Can you set me down out here? I want to see if I can do it.”

He gently sets her down on her feet. Somehow, they are in an easy hug, with his hands resting on her hips, and her hands on his arms. “Are you ready for me to let go?”

She almost says never, but instead she says, “I think so.”

He steps away, and she starts limping towards her room. She turns on the light, and hops to her bed. She knows that he is in the hallway watching her, she can feel his stare. She takes off her watch and sets it on the bedside table, and says over her shoulder, “I have an extra toothbrush. Do you want it?”

He clears his throat, and says, “Yes, if you don’t mind.”

She hops across her room, and goes into her bathroom, to fetch the toothbrush. She turns as best she can, and just about runs into him. “I would have come and got it if you would have said something.” He fusses at her. 

“I need to brush mine too, so I had to come in here anyways.” 

“Can you make it to the bed, ok?”

She nods. “Good night, Peeta.”

“Goodnight Katniss.”

She waits for him to leave, and closes the bathroom door. She is still wearing her long sleeved t-shirt and shorts from earlier. She sits on the toilet, so she won’t fall over, and takes her bra off, and brushes her teeth. She washes her face, and goes to lay down. It only takes her a moment to fall asleep, once she is finally in the bed. 

The dream starts like it usually does, with everyone getting into Daddy’s truck, but this time, Peeta is following her. They are all talking, and her parents act like they have known Peeta for forever. 

They start down the stretch of road where the wreck happened. This part is in slow motion as it always is, with her screaming for everyone to watch out for the semi-truck that is getting ready to hit them. They don’t ever listen to her, but this time, Peeta hears her and sees the truck coming at them too. They both start calling out to her family, trying to warn them, and that is when the truck hits.

“Peeta! Peeta! Where are you?” she is screaming, but for the first time ever, someone is there to catch her.

“Katniss, I’m right here. Katniss, wakeup.” he gently grabs ahold of her arms, so he can wake her out of the nightmare. 

She opens her eyes, and when she sees that it’s Peeta, she immediately starts running her hands over him to see if he is hurt. Satisfied that there isn’t any blood, she is hugging him to her, sobbing, “You’re here. You aren’t dead.” 

“Why would I be dead? I’m right here,” he mummers into her ear.

“The dream, you were dying. Everyone was already dead.”

He holds her close, and she can’t help but shiver in his arms as she sobs against his chest. “Will you stay with me?”

“Always.” He promises, and crawls into the bed with her, pulls her against his chest, and they both go back to sleep.

Kpkpkpkp 

She has decided that she loves the feel of Peeta Mellark. His lips, blaze a path from the ear he was just biting and sucking on, to the tips of her breast that is so very jealous of the attention the other receives. She also loves the way his curls feel when she runs her fingers through his hair, trying to direct his attention to her other breast. 

He is resting in-between her legs, she can feel his heat in her very core. Their eyes meet, and he releases her tip with a loud, satisfying pop. She gives him a not-so-gentle tug at the same time, she wiggles her bottom against where they meet. He smirks at her, and says softly, “Katniss what do you think you are doing?” She says nothing, and before she can do anything else, he says, “Katniss, wake up.”

The dream Peeta slowly fades, and before she moves a muscle, she feels his thigh pressing in-between hers. And since her panties are very wet, she can only guess that she really is rubbing against him like a cat in heat. She opens her eyes and finds that he is lying on his side facing her, and she is lying on her side too. They are literally nose to nose with her fingers tangled in his morning curls. His arm rests on her ribs, and she can feel where he has her braid in his grip. And if she wasn’t mistaken, she can feel his morning hardness rubbing up against her leg. 

“Good morning?” she whispers. 

His eyes search her face like they are looking for a long lost treasure. “Do you always have such vivid dreams?”

She relaxes her grip on his hair. “Daddy always said that I was a dreamer.” She blushes and says, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

 

Color floods his face too. “You didn’t hurt me.” He lets go of her braid. His hand lingers on her rib cage. “How is your ankle?”

“It’s starting to hurt now.” She looks down to where it still rests on his calf. “Thank you for holding it still for me.” 

They both chuckle, then he reaches down and gently lifts her leg off of him and eases it down to the mattress. He rolls off the bed, and that is when she notices what he is wearing. She never really thought about how plaid looks on a guy, but she can’t take her eyes off of his red, green and black tented boxers. He adjusts his hardness, and when he clears his throat, she jumps in surprise. Looking at his face, she can tell that he caught her staring. Instead of saying something, she covers her blush with the blanket.

He chuckles and asks, “Can I take a shower?” 

She lowers the blanket just enough to see only his face. “Yeah. The one in the hallway has clean towels in the cabinet but I don’t think there is any soap in there.” She starts to sit up, and he is there helping her to sit up on the side of the bed. She tries not to focus on the fact that the still tented part of his boxers is right there in her face. What she doesn’t understand is the urge she has to just touch him, to feel his hardness and yet the softest part of him on her face. She tries to stand up and to maybe clear her head, when he reaches out his hand. She decides that it’s probably safest to keep her eyes on his face; she smiles gratefully and allows him to help her up. She gently puts some weight on her ankle, and the shooting pain that radiates lets her know that it’s not ready for what she is trying to do. “I have some soap in my shower. Let me get it.”

He doesn’t let her go, but instead tucks her hand into his arm. And he helps her into the bathroom. They hobble into the bathroom, Peeta puts the lid down on the toilet and helps her to sit. “The soap is in the shower.”

She watches him grab the soap, and she tries to take the air cast off. He bends down to help. Loosening the Velcro, and exposing her black and blue ankle; Peeta swears, “Shit, that looks bad!” and all Katniss can say is, “Owww!” at the same time.

“Are you going to be able to take a shower?” he asks.

“I want to.”

“I know, I’ll be right back.” And he takes off. In just a moment, he is back with one of the plastic outside chairs from the porch. He sets it in the bathtub and it just fits. He cracks a grin at her and says, “If that didn’t work, I was ready to tie you into a suspension, and let you wash that way.”

Laughing, she says, “I don’t think I’m ready for that yet, but a chair in the shower, I am.”

Kpkpkpp

After they get cleaned up, she has taken her prescription pain meds and he makes his cinnamon buns for her, she decides a lazy day on the couch is in order. Peeta is watching her, and is getting ready to say something when her phone rings. Without looking at who it is, she greets, “Hello?”

“What did you do?” Prim asks.

“Hey! Oh my Lord, I am such a klutz! I tripped and twisted my ankle really bad. I went to the emergency room last night. They did x-rays, and gave me an air cast.”

“Who was working?”

“Only you, dear sister, would call to ask about your sister being hurt, and then to ask if your McDreamy was working.”

“That is not why I was calling! You know that I worked up there before I came to school. I was just wondering if you saw anyone I knew.” 

Katniss smiles at the slight whine in her voice. Even though Prim is 22 years old, she still gets that slight whine when she doesn’t get what she wants. “Yes, McDreamy was working. I thought you said that he’s leaving?”

“He is, he’s waiting until after Christmas. How did he look?”

“You know that I don’t pay attention to stuff like that! Besides I was in too much pain to notice.”

“How are you now? Did Madge come over to help?”

By now, Peeta has sat down beside her. “No, Peeta is here to help me, but I think he might be getting ready to go home.”

“Who is Peeta?”

“That is who I am modeling for.”

“Oh, well I’ll have to meet him when I come in for fall break.” Katniss can hear someone calling to Prim. “I’ve got to go. And thank you for the money.”

“Is it enough?”

“It is. I was able to pay for my insurance, scrubs and groceries. I’ll talk to you later!”

Katniss hangs up, and smiles wistfully at Peeta. “I guess that was your sister?” he asks.

“Yes. She is a medical student at Duke.”

“And you are proud of her?”

“I am ridiculously proud of her.” She notices that Peeta is sitting on the edge of his seat. “Are you going?”

He looks down at his hands. “I need to run some errands and I was going to go get you some more food. Will you be ok for a little bit?”

She fights the panic that rises in her stomach. “You don’t even have to come back,” disappointment flashes on his face, before he schools it back. She reaches for his hand, and relief replaces the panic when he takes it. “I’m not good with words. I would love for you to come back. But I know that you have other things that you might need to do.”

He kisses her knuckles. “I’ll be back. You have a bathroom down here?” she nods. “I’m running home, and then going to the store. Keep your cell, and call if you need me.”

“I will.” She promises. 

Kpkpkpkp

The kitchen door slams behind him. 

He didn’t think leaving her for just a little bit would be so hard. One part of him wants to run back in there and never leave her side again. He can’t explain it, but being with her feels like everything he’s ever wanted. Another part of him, wants to run. Run as far as he can, keeping her away so she won’t see who he really is, and proving that his mother was right after all. 

He starts his truck, and even though his engine protests against the cool morning air, he pulls out onto the road anyway. He is getting ready to pull out onto the highway leading to his studio when his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. He digs it out, and sees that it’s Finnick. 

“What are you doing?” he answers. 

“Enjoying the beach. How is Katniss?”

“She is still hurting. We took off the air cast, and her entire ankle is blue. I’m still amazed that she didn’t break it.”

“It sounds that way. How long are you staying with her?”

“I don’t know. I’m running to the studio to grab some clothes, and then going to the grocery.”

“You aren’t going to stay and help her?” Finnick asks.

“I’m going back. She can barely make it up and down her steps.” 

Finnick can hear the concern in his friend’s voice. “Is she going to be ok?” 

“Yeah, I’ll hang around to make sure.”

“Are we still going to make the show in Vegas?”

“We should be able to. Katniss won’t have to put any weight on her ankle at all.”

“You need to start working on the suspension ties with her.”

“Crap! I was going to do that next week. She is so limber, she should be ok. It’s only a thirty minute demonstration anyway. Listen man, I’m here at the studio. Let me run in and grab some stuff and I’ll talk to you later.”

Kpkpkpkp

When he gets back to Katniss’ house, he knocks gently on the door before opening it to let himself in. From the doorway, he can see where she is sitting on the couch. He gives her a moment to turn and acknowledge him. When she doesn’t, he tip-toes over to see that she is fast asleep. 

He quickly brings in his stuff and the groceries. He finds a place for everything and gets the chicken ready for the oven. He glances up and jumps when he sees her standing there. “How did you do that?”

Laughing, she says, “I used to hunt. A lot. You have to be quiet in the woods.”

He looks down at her ankle where she is keeping the weight off of it. “How are you feeling?”

She glances down too. “It hurts. I probably need to call in sick for tomorrow.”

“Where else do you work?” he asks innocently.

“Knotted Brewworks—“ Peeta interrupts her when he starts coughing in response. She slaps him on the back. “Hey, are you ok?”

“Yeah, I didn’t know that you worked there too.”

“Why?”

“This is weird.”

“What are you talking about?” she demands.

“Finnick and I kind of own Brewworks.”

She just stands there for a moment looking at him. Slowly, she limps back to the couch and sits down with a huff. 

Watching her, he isn’t sure what he is supposed to do next. So he puts the chicken into the oven and sets the timer. Then he gets himself a beer, and pours her some tea. “Can I sit?” he waits for her nod, and joins her on the couch. “When you asked the other night, how we started with the ropes, I didn’t tell you the whole story. When Finnick and I started doing demonstrations, I went and told my father. My brother happened to be there that day when I stopped by.” He takes a swig of his beer and continues with a deep breath. 

“I tried to explain to them why I was interested in the ropes. I couldn’t really explain it to myself at that time. It was something new for me. Then I started learning more about the power play that is involved, and it was like a brand new world opened up for me.” He runs his hands through his hair, tugging on his roots as he does. “My mother died when we were little and the extended family we had lived across the country.” He sighs, and for a moment he lets his mind remember the good times they all had together. “It was just us for the longest time. And now they are gone. After I explained to them what we are doing, there was so much screaming. They told me that as long as I chose to this life style, that I am no longer their family." 

He looks to her, steeling himself for her rejection. But instead, he is met with her tears. Without a word, she opens her arms to him, and he allows himself to melt into her embrace. She leans back on the couch and he ends up resting his head against her breasts with her running her fingers through his hair. Her touch, her hug, releases something in him that he tried to bury so long ago. 

He hugs her tight as he thinks about how much he has missed his family. The birthdays, Thanksgivings and Christmases they have all missed being together. That part of him that has been working so hard all this time to hold everything in, breaks. His quiet tears, soon turn into sobs as he cries. She doesn’t say a word, but continues to hold him.

She looks down at him, wipes his tears away, and asks, “How long has it been?”

“Five years now. My other brother, Rye, will email every once in a while. Bram got married and they have a little boy named Tyler. He’s three now.”

She wipes more tears from his eyes, but suddenly embarrassed that she has seen him like this. He sits up and looks away so he can wipe his own tears.

She reaches out and touches his arm and he looks back at her. “Don’t be ashamed of your tears. I think of them as liquid prayers to heal your heart.” Just then the timer rings. He smiles what feels like a genuine smile for the first time in years and gets up to check on dinner. 

“Tell me how Brewworks came about,” she requests when he comes back after giving the chicken ten more minutes. 

“Well, about a year ago, Finnick was meeting with some old friends of his from Georgia tech. Can you believe that he has a degree in business? It’s the weirdest thing, he meets people, and literally within minutes, they are telling him all of their deep, dark secrets. Anyway, some of his old frat brothers Cato and Marvel built the brewery where you work at now. They had their inheritance, and borrowed too much money. They called Finnick, and after looking at their records, he decided that we should use some of Twisted’s earnings to invest. To make a long story short, they doctored their books to look like they were earning money, when actually they were in trouble before they ever built it.”

“Is that why they asked Finnick to invest?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ve heard since then that one of their father’s wrote it off as a loss on his taxes and somehow got it all back. But when we figured out what they did, we went to the bank and before they could foreclose on the brewery, we made them an offer. They agreed, and now we own it. We’ve had it for about a year now, and are finally breaking even. Maybe next year, we can start making money.” 

Katniss sits there for a moment taking it all in. “Why haven’t I ever seen you at the brewery?”

“Honestly, I have been so busy with Twisted, I haven’t had a chance to do much, except to help with the Christmas brew.”

“You made that? It’s good,” she asks.

“I did. It’s based off of an old bread recipe.”

“Why is it named O’dair and not Mellark?”

“Well, after what happened with Dad, I don’t want them to know anything about me. Think of me as a silent partner. What do you do there?”

“A little bit of everything? I was hired to help with advertising, but I think I’ve ended up being Haymitch’s assistant. He had me counting kegs in the warehouse last week.”

This time when the timer for the chicken interrupts them, it’s finished cooking. He quickly throws together the side dishes and he brings her a plate on the couch. They eat quietly, enjoying each other’s company, with Katniss giving little moans of happiness while she ate. 

After Peeta cleans up the kitchen, they watch a movie. Somehow, Peeta ends up back on her chest, holding her tight like he never wants to let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to thank several people. First, norbertsmom for beta-ing this beast. Thank you dear!! You came through for me in a pinch and I appreciate that!! Then I need to thank my mister. He helps so much by just being there and listening to my crazy ramblings about what I need to include next. And he doesn’t mind me tying him up either for practice ;) and then my sweet readers, m&m. I love your feedback, and it helps me to be a better writer. And Diana… thank you for your excitement for this Lol. You keep me excited Lol! 
> 
> I know many of you were expecting more. And it’s coming. The next couple of chapters should be interesting… 
> 
> And as always, let me know what you think!!! I really do want to know!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here she is!!!! Chapter five, right on the eve (almost) of the big Mockingjay premiere!! I can’t believe that its time! If you get to go, enjoy. I won’t be able to make it for a couple of weeks. But I hope you enjoy this chapter… it’s what many of you have been waiting for… at least it will give you something to read while you are waiting in line for Mockingjay!!! And let me know what you think!!! I love every review you give me!
> 
> And of course I have to thank the wonderful norbertsmom for beta-ing!!! And my mister. He has been so patient with me working on this and what I’m working on for nanowrimo… thank you!! And also to sohypothetically. She has been there for me for a while now, and I appreciate every bit of it! 
> 
> *more notes at the end…*

Katniss goes back to work on Tuesday. 

It takes a couple of days, but with the help of her crutches, Katniss is soon hopping around doing almost everything she did before, except for things like running around, counting the barrels in the warehouse. Madge volunteers to do it for the overtime. 

As she’s limping out of work at the end of the day, Katniss’ phone rings. She smiles when she sees that it’s Peeta.

“Hey.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Still limping, but better.” She struggles to open the Jeep door. “If I accidentally hang up on you, I’ll call you right back.”

“What are you doing?”

She sets her crutches in the back, and slides into the driver’s seat. “Ok. I’m going home.”

“Oh good. I’m on the way to your house.”

“You are? Why?”

He starts to laugh. “I made some beef stew for you. And some cheese buns.”

“You know, if you keep on feeding me like this, I’ll let you hang out for forever.”

“I’ll see you in a minute.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss pulls up in her driveway, and Peeta pulls up right behind her. She’s just grabbed her purse, when he opens her door. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi,” she answers.

They stare at each other for a moment, before Katniss snaps out of her daze. “Here, go open the door for me, please.” And she offers him the keys and her purse. 

He takes her purse and keys and gets the stew and the buns from his truck. And she follows him, hopping behind on her crutches, into the house. Soon, they are sitting on the couch, enjoying bowls of stew. “This is so good.” She admits, in-between bites.

“I made up the stew recipe, but the cheese buns are a family recipe from the bakery. I would make this stew, or Finnick would make chowder and we would eat for days.”

“Well, anytime you want to cook, I will be more than happy to help you to eat it.” She takes a big, ooey, gooey bite of cheese bun. “Oh my lord, that is perfect!”

“What’s perfect?” he asks.

“That amazing cheese bun.” 

He laughs, but she can see the lingering sadness in his eyes. Not knowing what else to do, she reaches out and touches his arm, and it seems to comfort him. 

“You need to teach me how to make those.” She requests. 

“You mean, you don’t want me to bake them for you?”

She tries not to think too much about what he just said. “Well, I’ll allow that.”

He grins. “Oh, you will?”

She swats at his arm. “Not if you are going to be a smart-ass about it.” 

“Who is being a smart-ass? I know my buns are perfect.” 

Katniss tries not to choke, as she cracks up laughing. “Mister, your cheese buns might be perfect, but I don’t know about your personal buns.” 

He is still laughing when he stands up. He turns his back to her, and proceeds to shake his butt in front of her face. By now, Katniss is laughing so hard, that tears have started rolling down her face. “I assure you miss, that these buns,” he gives an exaggerated shake of his hindquarters, “Are perfect, in every way.”

Howling with laughter, she reaches up, and smacks his butt. “Sit down, before you get a big head from thinking too much about your perfect ass.” Then they both crack up, when they realize what Katniss said. Peeta sits down beside her on the couch, and carefully places their bowls and plates on the coffee table. 

She is wiping the tears from her eyes, when he asks, “Are you ticklish?”

She holds up her hands, like she is ready to push him away. “Don’t you dare!”

He puts his hand on her knee, and she can’t help but to giggle. He squeezes her knee, hitting a certain nerve that makes her squeal. They play fight for a moment, until she finally gets a hold of both of his hands. They are both breathing deep with smiles on their faces, just happy to be together. 

Kpkpkpkp

The rest of the week passes by with Peeta coming over for dinner and going home late. They cook, eat and talk about everything. Finnick and Annie even join them one evening, and Madge comes over on another. Katniss tells herself that Peeta is only still coming over because he feels guilty, especially once her ankle feels good enough to use the air cast without the crutches.

On Friday morning, Katniss wakes up to her phone chiming with a text message from Prim. 

Prim: What are you doing?

Katniss: Getting up. You?

Prim: I have news…

Katniss: What kind of news?

Prim: Good and bad news… fall break is next week. But I’m not coming home. 

Katniss: Why not? 

Prim: Well I've been asked to work in prenatal ICU during that week!

Katniss: That’s great!! I’m proud of you!

Prim: I’m excited. 

Katniss: I would be too! 

Prim: I’ve got to go…

Katniss: Ok, ttyl! 

Katniss tries not to be disappointed, but she can’t help it. She was looking forward to seeing her sister, so she tries not to let herself get upset because Prim can’t come home, but she can’t help the tears that come anyway. 

Her phone chimes again, and she picks it up, expecting Prim again, but this time it’s Peeta. 

Peeta: I’ve got some things to catch up on here tonight, it might be later than normal before I can come over.

Katniss: Oh, it’s ok. I’m fine. You don’t even have to come over.

She pushes send and instantly wants to take the text back. Now she really is crying, feeling like she did something really bad when he texts back…

Peeta: Are you ok? What’s wrong?

How does he know that something is wrong? She wonders.

Katniss: I got some bad news. My sister isn’t going to be able to come home for fall break like she wanted to. 

Peeta: Well that sucks. I know that you aren’t ok. Why don’t you come over here after work?

Katniss: Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt anything.

Peeta: I’m going to be doing a shoot tomorrow. Will you be getting off early because it’s Friday?

Katniss: Maybe? It depends on Haymitch and what he has planned. 

Peeta: Well, I’ll be here all day. Just come over when you’re done. 

Katniss: Ok, see ya’.

She doesn’t want to admit it, but she is happy that he invited her over. And she will get to find out who he is taking pictures of.

Kpkpkpkp

“How is your ankle sweetheart?” 

She glances up from the computer to where Haymitch is leaning into the make shift office that he put her in last week. She has been getting several perks ever since Peeta learned that she worked here too. It makes her wonder who said something, Peeta or Finnick. “It’s starting to feel better. Why? Do you need me to go count the warehouse?”

“Nah. You can go on home. I’ll see you Monday.” 

She doesn’t say anything, but finishes up the financial report she was working on, and puts her stuff away. She goes ahead and texts Peeta, wondering if he will even text her back since he is working. She is starting to make her way out to her Jeep, when he calls. “Hello?”

“What are you doing?” he asks, a little out of breath.

“I was told to go home early, so I am. What are you doing?”

“Are you coming over?”

“Do you still want me to?”

“You know I do. Come on. I’m at the studio.”

“Ok, bye.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss pulls up into the parking lot. It’s been several days since she has been here, and she feels the same as she did the last time she was here, nervous but excited all at the same time. There are a couple of other cars in the lot, and she sees Peeta’s truck, and Finnick’s SUV. Everyone must be here.

Opening the door, she is greeted by a woman sitting behind the desk in the reception area. She can hear Peeta, Finnick and some other people talking in the other room, and starts to walk through to get to them, when she hears, “Excuse me miss. How can I help you?”

Katniss looks at her in confusion, and starts to just walk by her when the woman steps in front of her stopping her. “Excuse me, but Peeta is expecting me.” 

“Excuse me, you can’t just walk in there.”

“I told you, Peeta is expecting me.”

Just when the other woman is opening her mouth, Katniss hears the door behind her open. Both of the women turn to see who it is. The woman says, “Haymitch, you can go on in.” The woman grabs Katniss’s arm and starts to steer her to the exit, “You wait here and let me check with Peeta.”

Katniss jerks her arm away from her, and takes a step back from both of them. She points to Haymitch, “What in the hell are you doing here?” Then she points to the woman. “And you are not to touch me!” 

At this point, Peeta comes out into the foyer. Katniss can feel everyone calming down in his presence. “I’m trying to get some work done, and you are out here fighting. Katniss this is Effie, Effie this is Katniss and she has permission to be here. Haymitch, you’re late.”

“Boy, I had to tell sweetheart here to go home.” And Haymitch walks past all of them to go into the studio. Katniss stands there wondering what in the hell just happened, when Peeta takes her elbow and guides her in after him. There are several cases of beer, plus some hay bales, and some other props under the big industrial window at the end of the studio. There is a man and a woman flittering about, both of them too beautiful to be real. 

“What are those people doing with my beer?” she demands.

Peeta hushes her and whispers, “We are using the studio to do the pictures for the print ads we are going to start running for the brewery. Those people are some friends of mine in the industry. Come on and I’ll introduce you.”

He starts towards them, but Katniss still hangs back. All she can think about is do these people know who is she to Peeta? Does she know who she is to Peeta besides his model? Peeta looks at her, and gives her the same look he gets when he is tying her up. It’s the look she has affectionately come to think of as his ‘don’t fuck with me’ look. She doesn't roll her eyes like she wants to, but she does tiptoe beside him. 

The man, who has skin the same color as rich brown chocolate, has just a touch of gold eyeliner on his eye lids. She never would have guessed that something like that would look good on a man, but on him, it is perfect. He steps forward, and takes her hand. “You are even lovelier than Peeta said. My name is Cinna, and this is my wife, Portia.” The woman who steps forward is lovely, absolutely beautiful. Katniss goes to offer her hand, but is instead swept up into a hug. She awkwardly hugs her back.

Peeta is smiling at her, when Portia releases her. She steps back and Peeta gathers her to his side and turns her away from the activity. He murmurs, “Are you feeling ok? You are limping more today than you have been.”

“I did more walking today. And it’s been a long week.” He gives her a look. “I don’t mean because of you.”

He gives her a side hug. “Why don’t you go to my apartment, and curl up on the couch and put your feet up?”

She gives him a tired smile, and finds his couch. She wraps herself in his throw from the back of the couch, the one that smells like him, props up her foot, and is soon asleep. 

Kpkpkpkp

When she wakes up, it is quiet, and dark. She looks out the window, and she can see the sun setting. She is content to just lay there, when she hears someone moving in the hallway coming to the studio. She peeks over the back of the couch, and sees Peeta entering the apartment. “You’re awake!”

“Hmmmm. That was a good nap. What are you doing?”

“Everyone just left. Are you hungry?”

“Are you really asking me that?”

The look he gives her is one that she hasn't quite figured out yet. Then he says, “I haven’t made you my pizza yet.”

“You can make pizza?”

“Well, anyone can make pizza. My secret is my crust.” He starts to pull out the flour, and the other ingredients he will need. Katniss gets up off the couch, and limps over to the counter. Before he gets started, he pulls over a stool, and sets it in front of her. Without a word, she sits down and watches him. He starts to combine everything, and soon, has a ball of off-white dough in the bottom of the bowl. 

“You make it look so easy,” she sighs.

“I can teach you,” he offers before he fetches his pizza stone from the top shelf. He turns on the oven, and gets the olive oil. He pours a bit onto the stone and then rubs it in. Katniss can’t help but to wonder how it would feel if he was doing that to her. “Now we let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.”

Peeta places, mushrooms, onions, and orange peppers in front of Katniss before he preheats a pan on the stove for the sausage. Katniss picks up one of the peppers, playfully tossing it between her hands and ask, “Do you want me to cut these up?”

Peeta smiles and looks up from the sausage he’s placed in the pan and asks, “Can you handle the responsibility?”

“Give me that knife,” she giggles. She chops the vegetables, and when the sausage is done cooking, he finishes the crust. They both work on getting the pizza together and into the oven. Katniss retreats to his couch, and he follows, with a couple of bottles of Pisgah ale. 

Katniss takes the beer from him, and quips, “How did you know this is my favorite?”

“You mean it’s not?” he asks sitting down. 

She looks at the label. “Actually this one is. It’s the White Zombie that I don’t like.”

“That one Finnick came up with. I like the Highland Stout.” He opens and takes a swig of his own beer. “But the Pisgah Ale is good too.”

When the timer on the oven goes off, Peeta goes to get the pizza. Soon he is back, with the pizza and plates. He gives her a slice and she digs in. The crust is certainly a big part of the pie, but the sauce is what makes it. She can’t help the grateful moan that escapes. “This is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten.”

“But you said that about my cheese buns.”

Laughing, she says, “They are both wonderful.” She takes a couple of bites, and can’t help to ask. “Who are Cinna and Portia?” 

He swallows his pizza, and drinks some beer before he answers. “When I first started shooting, Cinna gave me one of my big breaks when he used me as the photographer for his fashion line. Cinna and Portia are passing through on the way to Florida. He offered to design the set and ad for us. They will also be at the show in Vegas.”

“They will?”

“I was already doing pictures for his line, and when he heard about me becoming interested in the ropes He offered to help. He got us in touch with people who would be interested in the prints.”

“They seemed really nice.”

“They are the best. How are you feeling about the show coming up?”

“I’m trying not to be nervous about it,” she admits, her palms sweating just at the thought of it.

“Your first time is going to be nerve racking. But as long as you stay with me or Finnick, you will be ok. There is something that I’m going to ask you to wear while we are there.” 

“Oh what is it? A new bikini?”

“Well I do have a leather one ordered. Do you know anything about the slave and master aspect of BDSM?”

“No, when I looked it up on YouTube, it is just mostly spankings.”

“Because of the nature of what is going to be going on at the show, I would feel better if you wore a collar while we are there. Even Annie will have one on.”

“Do you mean like a literal, dog collar?” she asks.

“Well besides ropes, I randomly know how to make collars.” She gives him a quizzical look. “Dad sent us to summer camp and that was one of the things to do.” He takes her hand and starts to play with her fingers, and that spot that makes her knees go weak. “Some of the people who will be there, are quite dominant. And if they think that you don’t belong to anyone, well they won’t hesitate to push you past your limits.”

“Even if I tell them no?”

“The majority of them will respect you. But there are some that won’t. Can I make you a collar?” he asks.

She nods, and then answers, “I think it will be best if I do have one on. Just don’t make it too tight please?”

He chuckles. “I won’t.” He stands and takes their plates to the sink and puts the leftover pizza in the refrigerator. 

“Tell me more about the show?” she asks.

“Oh wow. It has the atmosphere of a fair, or even a carnival. There will be different things going on all over the convention center. We will worry more about it when it gets closer.” 

He pauses for a moment, like he wants to ask her something. “Go ahead and ask,” she says.

He actually blushes before he replies, “Ask what?”

“You want to do something. I can tell.”

“Fine,” he laughs. “I brought some rope—“

“Of course you did. I don’t think I can stand up for very long.”

“You won’t have to.” he promises.

Kpkpkpp

Soon he has each of her arms tied to her knees, opening her up in a way she has never been opened up before. His boxers that she borrowed are getting more and more wet, the more she feels his touch on her skin. She can’t fight the flush that keeps her warm, as he kneels in between her legs finishing up the knot. She meets his eyes, and even she can’t deny the desire she sees burning there in his.

She breathlessly whispers, “Peeta.”

He brings his hand up to her knee, and slowly trails his fingers down her leg towards her center. She releases a shaky breath when his hand touches her mound through the boxers. With a little moan, she shifts her hips towards him, hoping that he will take the hint and touch her.

She closes her eyes when she feels his fingers start to rub her. He stops and her eyes shoot open. She starts to say, “Peeta—“ when he kisses her knee, right where his hand had been. Then he traces the path just made by his touch with his lips until he gets to her mound. He hovers above it, and she can’t help the shiver when she feels his breath on her thighs. He kisses her through the boxers.

He leans up and she meets his eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“I do more and more every day.”

He is quiet for a moment, studying her. “What the hell,” he whispers, and starts digging in his pocket for something. He brings out his knife, and she only has a moment to worry, when he opens it, and slides the dull side under her panties and quickly snaps his wrist, cutting through her panties and boxers, exposing her. 

She lets out a whimper waiting for him to move again. His eyes haven’t left her center yet, but she can tell he hears her. He raises his hand to her, and lightly runs his thumb over her slit, pushing in a little, so he can feel how wet she is. This time when she says, “Please—“ he smiles at her and at the same time, pushes his thumb into her vagina. Her breath catches, as he pushes. 

She can’t help but to watch him, when he bends over and spreads her lips, so he can latch on to her clit. This time, with a deep groan, she gives herself over to him.

His other hand, snakes under her shirt, grabbing her breast. He continues to swirl his tongue around her goodness, gathering as much of her musky taste he can while he flicks a nipple with his finger. She rides his hand, wanting more from him, but not sure how to ask. 

Even though it’s just his fingers, she comes with a sudden rush. He raises up, and claims her lips. She’s never had anyone do that before and then kiss her, but with the way he is kissing her, she doesn’t mind that she can taste herself on his lips. 

He stops kissing her, and pulls back for a moment. He rubs his nose against hers, and whispers, “Please, can I have you?”

All she can do is nod. He kisses her nose, and stands up. He loosens the ropes, picks her up and carries her to his bed. 

He sits her on the bed, and kisses her again, and asks, “Are you sure?”

She answers him with a kiss and pulls him to her, so she can unbutton his jeans. He is kicking off his shoes, and soon his jeans are on the floor, quickly followed by his shirt. She gets the rest of the ropes off, and takes off her shirt too. He stops her when she reaches for her bra, and he unhooks it himself instead. 

They take a moment to admire each other, and then Peeta leans her back, pressing her against the mattress. Keeping his weight off of her, he kisses her for a long minute. Then he makes a path to her ears, biting on her lobe and continuing the path to her breasts. He touches them reverently, and says, “I think they are perfect.” And then he sucks a nipple into his mouth while caressing the other tip.

She runs her fingers through his curls, the same way she dreamed about the other night. He kisses her other nipple, biting the tip, and then licking it before he bites it again. He rises up, to get another kiss.   
She rubs against him, feeling his hardness in the place she wants it most. He sits back, and reaches into his bedside table, quickly bringing out a foil covered condom. 

He swiftly rolls the condom on and buries himself, deep inside of her. He picks up the unhurt leg, and puts it against his shoulder while her other leg is still on the bed. He pulls out slowly, before returning back to the place in her he most wants to be. He continues to go slow for a couple of thrusts, before she growls at him. He gets the message and picks up his pace. 

She is having orgasm over orgasm, until it feels like she is melting onto the bed. Soon, he comes with a shout, and collapses beside her. After he catches his breath, he gets up so he can throw the condom away. 

She curls into him, laying her head on his chest. His hand comes up and he pulls her in for a hug. She tries not to overthink what just happened, so she licks and then bites his nipple. When he answers her with a groan, she looks up at him, resting her chin where she just kissed him. He looks at her, and she must have had a questioning look on her face because he asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, well, something—“

He grabs her and pulls her up along his body until they are nose to nose. “You don’t regret what we just did, do you?”

“No,” she says, relief flooding her voice. She kisses him softly on the lips. “I’ve wanted you since that first time you tied me up.”

He smiles. “I’ve wanted you, too. And not just because you let me tie you up.” They laugh together. He doesn’t say anything, but starts kissing her again. 

He starts with a kiss that is as soft as butterfly wings. He skims her cheeks, tasting all of her before he returns to her lips. He pulls away for a moment, gently laying her back down on the bed. He kisses her again. “I just want to kiss you and touch you,” he says touching her breast. 

His fingers skim around her burn and she tries not to worry about what he is thinking. He asks, “Has the feeling returned yet?”

“Some.” She replies as he brushes his hand over it. She is so surprised that she can feel his touch; she looks at him in shock. “I can feel that!”

He says nothing but instead kisses her scar. This act shocks her so, that all she can do is lay there. He doesn’t miss any part of the mark, but kisses the entire thing. Ever since the wreck happened, she has been so ashamed of that part of her. And here he is loving that part of her past, the reminder of that awful night… she can’t help the sob that escapes. She covers her eyes with one arm, and reaches for the blanket with the other. 

He stops kissing her and she feels the bed shift. Instead of leaving, or saying, well anything, he slides his arm under her shoulders, and gathers her to him. This time it is her sobbing on his chest, releasing the pain of her past. 

He waits until she is quiet again before he asks, “How did you get the scar?”

She wipes her nose on her blanket. “It was me, my sister Prim, and my mom and dad. We were running late to Prim’s science fair. They were announcing the winners at 7:30 and it had started snowing. We went around that really big curve, the one on the road before you turn onto Ruark, and we met an eighteen wheeler, head on.” His arms hug her even tighter, which she didn’t think was possible. “Mama and Daddy were killed instantly. Prim landed on top of me, and we were both burned. Prim was burned worse than me. I didn’t need skin grafts, but Prim did.”

Peeta lifts Katniss’ chin, so he can look into her eyes. “Well I think you are beautiful.” He kisses her on the nose. “Every inch of you.” He kisses her cheek, kissing her tears away. Then he smiles, and kisses her other cheek and the tears there as well. Then he gives her a kiss, so soft on her lips. He angles her face to the side, with the finger that is still under her chin, so he can kiss her neck. 

She has tangled her fingers in his curls, those perfect, messy curls. He continues to kiss her neck, hitting that spot, under her ear that makes her body explode in goose bumps. She pulls his hair, and he raises up to look at her. She tries not to get lost in his gaze, but can feel her heart expanding as she lets him all the way in. 

 

*****  
What do you think?? I know there wasn't much bondage, and I hope that you are wondering even more about “the show” that is coming up!! Many things are going to be happening there. As always, if you want more information about how to play safe, or even to find the video where I got the inspiration for the tie, just message me. I’ll be more than happy to share!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! And if you aren’t in America, I hope you are having a good weekend. I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been reading my little story here. I am still so humbled that so many are taking a minute out of their day and reading. Thank you so much! And the guests who keeps on commenting, thank you!! 
> 
> Here is the new one folks… so I’ve had a couple ask about the kink. The kink is coming. I promise. But in order for me to get to where I want the story to go, and for it to have the impact on both of their lives that I want it to have, they need to fall in love. And we as Ever lark junkies, we want them head over heels, can't sleep, but Katniss can always eat, I can’t sleep without you anymore in love with each other! And besides, even if it’s Peeta who is going to tie you up, you need to trust them. But enjoy this chapter of fluff. And even as I am working on chapter seven now, there is kink. He has to get her ready for ‘the show’ anyway. 
> 
> And I need to thank my wonderful beta, norbertsmom. And my mister, who takes this as serious as I do. He is actually proud of all this. And my reader, the wonderful Ms. M! Her reviews are so wonderful. 
> 
> Well here she is… let me know what you think ;)

The sun is shining in her eyes. The sun never shines in her eyes in the mornings and she tries to roll over so she can get away from it, but she can’t. There is an arm thrown over her, and someone is holding her tight. She finally opens her eyes, and sees Peeta’s window that the cursed sun is shining through. She can’t help the grin that splits her face and she realizes that her hand is lying on top of his. That same hand of his is squeezing her and pulling her into him even more. 

She realizes that they are both naked, and she can feel his hardness pressing in between her butt cheeks. 

“Good morning, beautiful,” his deep baritone makes goose bumps erupt all over her body. 

Katniss rolls over in his arms and sees his Carolina blue eyes smiling at her. “Good morning,” she whispers. “Don’t move,” she commands as she wiggles to the edge of the bed. She looks around on the floor where their clothes are scattered and she grabs the t-shirt he had on yesterday. She picks it up, and slides it over her head. 

“Where are you going?” he whines.

“I have to pee, and I’m probably going to use your toothbrush unless you have an extra one?” she asks.

“Actually I do.” And he stands up too. She can’t help but to admire his bubble butt before he locates his boxers and slides them on. 

“Are you getting up, too? I was wanting to cuddle some more.” Now it’s her turn to whine. 

“Well then let’s hurry.” He walks into the bathroom, and she briefly wonders if he is going to claim the bathroom first or expect them to use it together. Instead he opens the medicine cabinet, and hands her a new, still in the package toothbrush. He kisses her on the nose and passes her in the doorway. 

She doesn’t give him a chance to come back, but instead closes the door behind her. When she’s done and opens the door, she realizes that Peeta has left the bedroom. She finds him in the kitchen, fiddling with his coffee pot. He asks her over his shoulder, “Do you drink coffee?”

“No, actually I drink tea.” She awkwardly starts to look for her clothes, figuring that he isn’t coming back to cuddle after all. She may as well begin that walk of shame anyway. She doesn’t have any panties since he cut them off of her last night, and she can feel herself turning red, thinking about that. 

She is picking up her bra, when arms grab her from behind, making her squeal when he throws her on the bed. She lands with a giggle, as he stands at the foot of the bed, with his hands on his hips watching her. His gaze turns to predatory when he creeps up onto the bed. She starts to scoot back, with him following.

“You can’t get away from me,” he teases, as he pulls her under him, while she is giggling even more. He nuzzles her neck, and inhales deeply. Then he nibbles on her neck turning her giggles to a moan; until he hits that certain spot on her neck which makes her start howling with laughter. 

He straddles her, pinning her hands above her head. The predatory look hasn’t left his eyes and he growls, “don’t move, ok?”

All she can manage is to nod when he moves his hands to the shirt she is wearing. “You, my dear, are simply overdressed.” And he starts tugging on her. He pulls her shirt up, and when it’s cleared her head, but still on her arms, he gives the shirt a little twist, imprisoning her wrists. She tugs on it, and she isn’t surprised that she can’t get her arms loose. 

Peeta watches her wiggling against her restraint and smirks. Katniss rolls her eyes at him and sticks out her tongue. He leans down, holding her rib cage, so he is nose to nose with her and says, “I’ll give you something to do with that tongue, my dear.”

She can’t help but to watch him as his focus moves to her nipples. “Ever since that first day, I have wanted to touch them, lick them,” and with a grin, he says, “and bite them.” He slides down her body, bringing his hands up her sides, pushing her breasts together, burying his nose between them. 

“Spread your legs,” he commands and she can’t help but to obey and he settles into that sweet cradle she makes. 

Returning his attention to her breasts, he starts to lick her left one, while his thumb flicks her right nipple. She never thought of her breasts as being overly sensitive, but Peeta doing this is making her so wet, more wet than she has ever been before. 

He switches to kissing her right breast, while his hand starts to caress her left one. ‘Oh, lord! Is he,’ she looks to make sure that she is right, and he is biting her! It’s not too hard, but it is enough to make her squirm. No one has ever made her feel this sensation before. She starts to bring up her arms, so that even though they are tied, she can still put her arms around his neck. He rises up, and shakes his head at her. “That’s cheating.” He smirks.

A wonderful, lust filled cloud is making her head fuzzy. She stumbles out, “What’s cheating? Are we playing a game?”

He stills for a moment, and then plants a kiss on her breastbone. Without looking at her, he says, “Perhaps the most dangerous game of all.” She tries to figure out what he means, when he continues to kiss his way to her belly button. He begins to kiss it, like he does her mouth, and she melts. The bolt of desire that shoots through her makes her breathless. 

She is still catching her breath, when she feels him slides his fingers inside her. Her eyes roll to the back of her head when he asks, “Are you ready for me?” 

“Yes,” she says breathlessly. Peeta pulls off his boxers and then reaches over to his bedside table to get a condom. He rolls it on, and with one movement, he sheaths himself inside of her. She starts panting, unable to hold back any longer, she plants her feet on the bed and starts to buck into him.

He smiles at her and shakes his head, stilling her movements with his hands on her stomach. He slides his hands down to her ankles and hooks them over his shoulders. Then he snakes one hand to her clit. He starts to rub her, and at first, it’s almost too light. She moans in frustration, too wound up to really say anything. “Do you want this?” he asks, and starts to rub harder and quicker. She can feel her orgasm building, washing over her like waves. All she can do is gasp for air, until she comes with an “oh fuck me”. After her orgasm hits, he is quick to follow and this time, he comes with a shout. 

On shaky legs, Peeta goes to throw away the condom. Katniss doesn’t, can’t move. She simply closes her eyes, and enjoys the euphoria. Even when the bed dips beside her, she can’t seem to open her eyes. He pulls her arms down, and loosens his shirt, freeing her hands. He must have put some lotion on his hands, because he is rubbing something on her skin, and it feels so good. 

When he is done, he starts to rub her chest, and her breasts. She smiles feeling his hands on her again there. “I can't move,” she whispers.

“That’s ok. You don’t have to,” he answers. Then he kisses her. Those sweet butterfly kisses that make her feel so precious and loved. She breathes a sigh of contentment and brings her hands around to run her fingers through his hair as she kisses him back. He slightly pulls away, and the lovers open their eyes to see each other. A moment passes while they look into the depths of each other. “I want to stay here all day with you.” 

She smiles. “You could?” 

He kisses her on the nose and says, “I could.” 

They continue cuddling, all wrapped up in each other when a phone starts to ring. Neither one moves, until Katniss realizes that its Prim’s ringtone chiming through the apartment. “That’s my sister,” she says, scrambling to get out from under him. By the time she gets to her phone, it’s already gone to voicemail, but she goes ahead and calls back anyway. 

Prim answers on the second ring, “Where are you?”

“I’m here, where are you?”

“Well, you aren’t here, and I’m looking for you,” Prim smarts back.

Katniss rubs her temple before she says, “What in the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m home you dork. And you aren’t.”

“Oh, crap!” she looks at Peeta guiltily. “I’ll be home soon.”

“Are you at Madge’s? I didn’t see the Jeep over there.” Prim takes a deep breath and then says, “You’re with a guy aren’t you?”

“I might be?”

“Who is he?” Prim wonders.

“I’ll be home in a little bit. We’ll talk then.” She hangs up the phone, and starts gathering her clothes. 

“What happened?” Peeta asks.

“My sister came home. I thought she had to work all week,” Katniss says putting on her bra. 

“That’s good isn’t it? That she came home?”

She smiles. “It’s very good.” She pulls on her jeans. “Well that’s something new.”

“What is?”

“Going commando. I’ve never done that before.” she pulls on her shirt, and then sits down to put on her air cast. 

She runs her fingers through her hair trying to get the knots out. She didn’t see him get up, so when he comes up behind her with a hairbrush, she jumps a little when he says in her ear, “let me.” And proceeds to brush her hair. It feels so good, she can feel herself going weak in the knees. He kisses the top of her head when he is finished. She turns around and gives him a kiss. 

“Come over for supper,” she invites.

“This evening?”

She nods. And then says shyly, “I want you to meet my sister.” 

He wraps his arms around her, pulling her close. “I would love to come over. What time?”

“About six?”

He kisses her on the nose. “I’ll be there around then.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

By the time Katniss makes it home, it’s almost eleven o’clock. She pushes down the guilt she feels for not being home when Prim got here and runs into the house looking for her. 

As soon as she runs into the house, Prim and Rue are sitting on the couch talking. Katniss and Prim squeal and catch each other in a hug. “When did you leave Durham?”

“I worked last night until about midnight. Went to the apartment and slept. Then I left about five A.M.”

“Why didn’t you call me and tell me?”

“I wanted to surprise you. And I haven’t been home since August and here it is the end of October. And I had to see Rue.” Prim notices Katniss’ wrinkled appearance and raises her eyebrows at her and asks, “Now, where were you?”

Katniss rubs her temples. “I’m seeing someone?” 

The squeals that come from Prim and Rue make Katniss jump at least a foot off of the ground. Both of the girls envelop her in a group hug. They start talking over each other, and Katniss can't really understand either one of them. Speaking loudly over the both of them, she says, “I’m going to go take a shower. Then we will go eat lunch somewhere, ok?”

Kpkpkpkp

After they eat, and Katniss fills in the girls in on everything that she is comfortable telling them, they stop by the grocery to look for something to fix for dinner. Katniss looking at the meat in the refrigerator section, while Rue and Prim scroll through Pinterest looking for a quick something that looks good, when Katniss hears someone calling her name. 

“Katniss! Katniss! How are you?” Annie asks as she and Finnick come over to them. Annie gives Katniss a quick hug.

“Annie, Finnick, this is my sister Prim,” she introduces as they shake hands. “And this is Prim’s best friend, Rue. Finnick is one of the owners at the brewery.” Once again, she waits for everyone to shake hands. Katniss can tell that the girl’s eyes are roaming over Finnick. He catches her eye, and smirks like he knows they are looking at him that way. “What are you two doing?”

“Getting stuff for supper,” Annie says.

“Why don’t you two come over, too?” Prim asks. “Peeta is coming over for dinner, too.”

Katniss give Annie and Finnick a smile and a nod. He says, “We would love to.” 

“Come over around six?” Katniss asks.

Annie nods. “Do you want us to bring anything?” 

“I don’t guess so? It’s up to you,” Katniss answers. She is just glad that yesterday was payday. 

“Come on Finn,” Annie says. “We’ll see you after while ladies.” And they walk away.

“Ok, let’s go look at the steaks and the chicken so we can figure out what I’m fixing,” Katniss says.

Kpkpkpkp

It’s about three o’clock and Katniss is in the kitchen, reading a recipe on her tablet that Prim and Rue had found for chicken Lo Mein, when the knock on the door surprises her. She glances over from where she stands at the counter and sees blond curls through the window. As she opens the door, she asks, “Peeta?”

He is standing there, with bags from the new hipster chain grocery store, and a homemade something in a cake carrier. She quickly jumps out of the way so he can come in, but even with his arms full, he stops and gives her a kiss filled with so much promise, it makes her toes curl. 

He pulls away, giving her a smile which she readily returns. Then he steps on into the kitchen. “What are you doing here?” she asks as she makes room for the bags on the counter. 

“When you said that Finnick and Annie were coming too, well I thought you might like some help?” he asks. He sets the bags down, and she wraps her arms around him.

“Thank you,” she whispers before she kisses him. Peeta returns her kiss and holds her tight, when they hear two sets of footsteps on the stairs. From where they are standing, they can see the bottom of the stairs, and they pull away when they see two sets of shoes descending. 

The two girls bounce into the kitchen, wanting to see who is here. Katniss, steps up and says, “Peeta this is my sister, Prim, and this is her friend Rue. Ladies, this is Peeta.”

They all greet each other, and then Prim says, “Erica made room for me today to get my haircut since I’m home. I’ll be back in a little bit, ok?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Be back by six.”

As the girls walk out the door, Katniss turns to Peeta where he is leaning against the counter. “What did you bring?”

“Well, when you texted, you said that you are fixing Lo Mein, right?”

“Oh, lord! You don’t like Chinese food do you?”

He chuckles and says, “I like Chinese.” He turns and starts pulling stuff out of the bags. “I brought stuff to make egg rolls.”

“Yum! Well what is in the cake carrier?”

“I had time to make a triple chocolate Bundt cake. I’m going to make the whiskey sauce here.” He pulls out three, six packs of the brewery’s beer. “And beer. I brought beer.”

“Do you just randomly have that stuff lying around the studio?” she laughs.

“Actually I do. Just to get pretty girls tipsy and tie them up,” he teases.

She enjoys the heat that rushes through her at his words. “I’m not pretty.”

He steps close to her, and picks up the end of her braid, playing with it as he says, “Katniss Everdeen, you have no idea the effect you can have.”

“Who me?”

“Yes, you.” They hear Rue’s car crank up and move out of the driveway. He then grins at her, and sadly says, “I want to take you upstairs and make love to you until neither one of us can stand, but instead we have to cook supper for our friends and family.” and he kisses her on the nose.

She smiles. “Can I take a rain check?”

He groans and runs his hand through his curls, and smiles. “Yes. Let’s cook.”

Kpkpkpkpkp

The chicken is marinated, the veggies are cut up ready to be stir fried. Peeta has already gotten the cabbage, the broccoli slaw and the chicken ready for the eggs rolls. Katniss is watching him stir the whiskey sauce with vanilla beans, waiting for it to thicken. “That smells, incredible,” Katniss sighs.

“I think you would be happy if I just fed you all the time.”

She breathes deep, and smiles. “Well if everything you make for me remotely smells like that, then I would allow it.”

He smiles and shakes his head, when Prim and Rue walk in the kitchen door. “What did we miss?” Prim asks.

“He just promised to cook for me for forever,” Katniss says. 

“Well, if it smells like that,” Rue says, “I want in on that deal too.”

“Me, too,” Prim adds.

“What time is it?” Peeta asks.

Katniss looks at the clock. “It’s almost five-thirty? What do we need to do?” 

He steals a kiss and then takes the sauce off the stove eye so it can cool. “Text Annie and see if they are on the way yet.” He catches Prim and Rue looking at the food spread out on the counter. He asks, “Hungry ladies?”

They look at each other and their cheeks turn red. It’s Katniss who asks, “What did you two do?”

“We ran into Madge and Johanna at Erica’s,” Rue starts.

Prim finishes, “we mentioned that Peeta is cooking supper.”

“And they were going to pick up Gale,” Rue says.

“And come over here,” finishes Prim. “You’ve said before that you can make Lo Mein go a long ways. We’ll have enough wont we?”

Katniss tries to give her a scowl, and Prim looks worried. It’s Peeta who interrupts them, “Do you have more noodles?” 

Katniss smiles and says, “Yeah in the pantry. How many egg rolls are you going to make?” 

“I think the pack has 25 wrappers in it?” Peeta kisses her on the nose. “We’ll have enough. Text Finnick. Tell him to bring some more beer.”

“You aren’t mad? They kind of invited themselves, and it is so nice seeing everyone—“ Prim says.

Katniss interrupts her when she throws her arm around her. “It’s ok.” She looks at Peeta and says, “We have enough. I need my phone.” Rue hands it to her, and Katniss smiles her thanks.

“Ladies, let start making egg rolls.” Peeta says.

Rue giggles, and says, “Show us.” 

Peeta begins to show Prim and Rue how to roll the egg rolls, and there is a knock on the kitchen door. By the time Katniss looks up from where she is cutting up the chicken, Madge, Jo and Gale are walking in the door. 

Prim gives Gale a hug, Rue follows. Over the top of Rue’s head, Katniss doesn’t miss the look that Gale gives Peeta. She gives Gale a you better not say anything look, and introduces them like Gale never attended the workshop at the club a couple of weeks ago. She does the same with Madge and Johanna. 

Katniss never thought about why her daddy built the house with such a big kitchen, open to the rest of the house the way it is, but now with everyone in it, she can't help but to remember the times growing up when the Hawthornes and the Masons would come over, and the house would be full of people like it is now. Mama and Daddy both would always say a full house is a happy house. 

Finnick and Annie come walking in the door and Katniss introduces everyone. Peeta starts to fry the egg rolls, and Katniss starts the Lo Mein. Prim passes out the beer, and Rue pours sweet tea for those who don’t want beer. 

Even amidst the chatter behind her, Katniss can only focus on Peeta standing beside her. At that moment, his eyes meet hers, and she feels like she is home. 

Kpkpkpkp

After everyone has eaten, and drank all the beer, and Annie helps Rue and Prim load the dishwasher. Jo and Madge pull Katniss into the downstairs bathroom. “You really are brainless,” accuses Jo.

“Why do you say that?” Katniss asks.

“Well, for one, when did you start having sex with Mr. Kinky Buns? And why didn’t you tell Prim what kind of modeling you are doing for Mr. Kinky Buns?”

“I’m only modeling for a little bit. She doesn’t need to know. And as for the sex, well that is none of your business,” Katniss states. 

Jo and Madge look at her closely. It’s Madge who says, “It just started.” Her face breaks out into a big grin. “How was it?”

“Shhh! They might hear you out there!” Katniss says.

“How is your ankle?” Madge asks.

“It’s better. I don’t think I limped any until now, and that is only because I’m tired.”

“Now tell me about the sex,” Madge suggests.

“Well it just kind of happened last night—“ Katniss stops herself when she realizes what she is doing. “Damn it Madge!” she limps to the door. The girls follow her giggling out into the hallway. Katniss runs right into a scowling Gale standing in the doorway. 

Madge and Jo stop too. “Why is he here?” he growls. 

Madge steps beside Gale and lays her hand on his arm. “Gale—“ 

He interrupts her, “He is a freak, Katniss. I don’t like him.” 

Katniss looks over his shoulder to make sure Peeta can't hear her. He is in the middle of telling Prim, Rue, Finnick and Annie a story in the furthest corner of the living room. Katniss looks Gale in the eye. “Look, I adore you. You are one of my good friends, but I like Peeta, a lot. You are just going to have to get used to it. He isn’t going to hurt me. He knows what he is doing. If you don’t like it, then oh well.”

Madge gives her an encouraging smile, and Jo says, “That’s right.” 

“Now, let’s go in there, and have a nice evening with my sister before she has to go back to Duke.”

Kpkpkpkpkpkp 

With a worried look at Gale, who is standing around the kitchen talking to Peeta and Finnick, Katniss follows the girls upstairs to see something Prim has brought home from Durham. Gale waits until he can hear them overhead before he asks, “Why is Katniss doing this?”

Peeta and Finnick exchange a puzzled look, and Peeta says, “Doing what?”

Gale gestures and says, “You know, being the one you tie up. Is she working for you? Why her?”

Peeta takes a big sip of his beer and runs his fingers through his hair. “Well, at first, it was because she needed a job and she looked flexible. Then when I started working with her and getting to know her,” he sighs, “she helps me to remember that there are good things in life and that things can be good again.”

Gale is quiet when he asks, “Can you tell me more about the rope stuff? You wouldn’t hurt her would you?”

“Oh no. I would never hurt her on purpose, but there is always that chance, especially if we are doing a demonstration. Besides I have some hard limits of things I won’t do.”

“What are these hard limits?” Gale asks skeptically. 

“Well, first it’s always safe, sane, and consensual. Then no permanent rope marks, no blood, no drugs or alcohol. No one but Finnick and I can touch Katniss when she is tied up. No rope in front of her throat.”

“So you won’t be spanking or doing any of that other stuff with Katniss then?” Gale asks.

“Not unless she asks for me to. We don’t consider ropes BDSM, we think of it more like a performance and an art. We will add in aspects of BDSM when we feel like the scene needs it, like wax play. When Annie was still my model, we were doing a demonstration and Finnick came over with some candles.” 

Peeta and Gale chuckles at how red Finnick’s face gets. “It was a good way to show the crowd how to do it. Everyone loved it.”

“No, you and Annie loved it,” Peeta kids. The conversation is halted when they hear the girls coming back down the stairs.

Madge walks over to Gale. “We’ve got to get going. Jo and I are going hiking tomorrow.”

“What about me?” Gale pouts.

“What about you Hawthorne? We asked you two weeks ago if you wanted to go. You never did say yes,” Jo says sarcastically. “Are you saying now that you want to go?”

“I’ll go,” he says. “Just to make sure you two can find your way home.” 

Prim comes over and gives them all a hug with Jo holding her close for a moment and whispering something in her ear that makes her laugh. “See you at Thanksgiving little Everdeen,” Jo says.

Annie comes over to stand beside Finnick. They smile their little smiles at each other. “We are going to go too, Katniss,” Annie says. “Baby makes me sleepy these days.” 

Katniss gives Annie a hug, and they all leave together. “The house is awfully quiet,” Prim says. She throws her arm around Katniss. “Are you ok?”

“Oh, I’m fine. Right now, my ankle hurts, but I’m just glad that you got to come home even if it’s for a night.” 

“Me too,” Prim yawns. 

“Is Rue spending the night?” Katniss asks.

Giggling, Prim asks, “Is Peeta?”

She slaps her sister on the arm and grabs Peeta’s hand, giving him a kiss. She smirks and says, “Yeah, he’s staying.” 

“Oh, crap!” Rue exclaims. “We forgot to eat the cake!”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s almost Christmas!!! Can you believe it? I can't. This year has went by entirely too fast. I hope that every one of you has the best Christmas yet, and that you get everything you need, and a couple of things that you want ;)
> 
> This past year has been wonderful learning to write for THG fandom. I have made so many new friends who are such a blessing to me. And then there is you, my wonderful readers. You humble me in so many ways. And for the ones who take a minute to review, thank you. You have helped me to become a better writer. All of you have, really. Thank you. And I hope that somehow, someway, you get a special holiday wish this year.  
> I need to thank titania522 and dianaflynn22 for betaing this beast. I also need to thank sohypothetically for her encouragement and for being there when I need her. Why is California so far away from North Carolina? Then there is my husband. He is there to encourage me, to tell me that my writing doesn’t suck, and to laugh at me. And I need to thank my mrose for helping too! She is always such a encouragement! And my other M for always cheering me on! Thank you both so much!
> 
> I’ll hush and let you read…. And I don’t own anything. THG, the poems, nothing.

She wakes up again with his arms wrapped around her. She briefly thinks that she can get use to this, to him, especially when his arms tighten and she can feel his hardness pressing into her. She tries to be absolutely still, so she can stay in his arms a little longer. But when he says, “Good morning beautiful,” her heart melts at his words and she wants to kiss him. 

She wiggles around until they are nose to nose. She throws her leg over his hip, and runs her fingers through his sleepy curls. She presses her lips to his, and his arms tighten around her. He pulls away for a moment and she wonders what he is doing until he says, “I don’t hear anything. Do you think they are asleep?”

“Oh, I know that they are. They were still awake and talking when you finally went to sleep last night.”

He brings his hand up, from where it rests on her waist to her breast and he lazily draws his thumb over her nipple making it harden. He smiles when she wiggles impatiently wanting him to touch more of her. His hand travels down her side and stops at her hip. He pauses for a moment, and this time, draws tortuously slow circles there. Her fingers are still tangled in his hair and she pulls him until their lips meet. She pulls away. “We have nasty morning breath.” 

“Well then,” he kisses her nose before whispering, “I’ll just have to kiss you somewhere else.”

With a quiet giggle she says, “Like where?”

“Here.” He kisses her neck, then her breast. He pulls up the tank top she slept in, and grins when he sees all of her. He nudges her onto her back, and pauses a moment, just looking at her. 

“What?” she asks.

He exhales with a sigh. He leans over her, kissing her puckered tip, while caressing the other one. Looking up at her, he says, “You are so beautiful.” 

She doesn’t say a word, but pulls him to her so she can kiss him, morning breath and all.

Kpkppkpkp

When Katniss comes downstairs, Peeta is standing at the counter, kneading dough. She smiles when she sees the steam coming out the spout of the kettle on the stove beside him. She walks up behind him, and wraps her arms around him. “What cha’ doing?” she asks. 

He pats her hands where they meet over his abdomen. “I thought Prim might want some homemade biscuits before she goes back to school.”

She drops her arms and says, “Oh, no.”

He stops mid-roll of the rolling pin. “What?”

“Prim doesn’t like biscuits.”

Defeat washes his features. “Are you serious?”

“No,” she says with a smirk.

He starts laughing, with her joining in. “So, it’s like that, then?” he says, dusting his hands in the flour.

She sees what he is doing, and backs up away from him still giggling. “You wouldn’t. I just had a shower.”

He wiggles his flour covered hands at her, and taunts, “I’m a-going to get you—“ 

She backs up against the counter, and he comes close. With just a finger, he touches her nose, smearing flour on it. She wipes it, and seeing the flour on her hand, she says, “You got flour on me.”

“What are you going to do about it?” 

She grins at him, and reaches over to where he is working, and dusts her hands. He backs up until the counter stops him. Then she simply touches his cheeks, leaving perfect handprints. They stand there blinking at each other, playfully daring each other to make a move. Then they do at the same time. 

Prim and Rue come down stairs to flour flying everywhere. Prim steps forward, saying, “Whoa you two!” 

Katniss and Peeta stop, with both of their arms raised, getting ready to throw flour again at each other. They lower their hands, dusting them off as they look sheepishly at Prim and Rue. The group looks around to survey the damage. It’s not too bad, just the counter tops will have to be wiped off, and the floor swept. 

Prim and Rue help Katniss clean up, while Peeta finishes the biscuits. Soon everyone is done, and Katniss runs upstairs to shower and get ready.

Peeta starts to go after her, until Prim grabs his arm when he walks by her. Blue eyes meet blue eyes. “She has her laugh back,” she says with tears in her eyes. “I haven’t heard her laugh like that since before the wreck.” Peeta doesn’t say anything, he just smiles. “Just remember, I’m training to become a surgeon. If you hurt her, I will skin you alive.” Prim says completely serious. 

Rue comes over and touches Prim’s arm. “He doesn’t know that you’re kidding.”

Prim smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Oh he knows I am. We’ll watch the biscuits. Go get cleaned up.”

Kpkpkpkp

After they eat the biscuits and gravy that Peeta fixed for them, they linger at the table talking about everything and nothing at all. All too soon, it is time for Prim to pack and go on her way. Katniss is able to hold it in until Prim is pulling out of the driveway before she starts to cry. And it’s not even a big ugly cry, but silent tears that washes her cheeks. 

Peeta notices, and much to Katniss’ relief, doesn’t say anything, but simply guides her back into the house. He sits down first on the couch and pulls her onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, holding her. “Guess what?” 

She sniffs and wipes her nose. “What?”

“I think Prim threatened me.”

“She did not.”

“She did. She said that she is training to be a surgeon, and she can skin me alive if she wanted to.”

Katniss laughs through the tears still falling. “Yeah that sounds like her.”

He kisses her on the nose. “Well I don’t plan on making her keep that promise. Do you wanna go somewhere?”

She shrugs. “I guess.”

He kisses her again and says, “Well come on then.”

Kpkpkpkp

They load up into Peeta’s truck, and soon they are running by Finnick and Annie’s house to borrow his boat. Only a short ride later, they are in the boat, in the middle of Beaver Lake on the outskirts of the busy town that is Asheville. Peeta is already fishing and Katniss is quickly casting so she can catch up. 

“You know, I drive by Beaver Lake all the time on the way to work. And I see them out here fishing and stuff. But I never thought it would be this relaxing out here.”

“I love it. Finnick used to bring me out here all the time. Especially right after what happened with Dad.” He rubs his face, and sighs. 

“Hey, we didn’t come out here to have a pity-party. I thought we came out here to fish.” 

He pats her leg and smiles. “That we did, beautiful.”

All of a sudden there is a tug on her line. Peeta notices it, too. Grins bloom on their both their faces. Katniss starts to reel in her catch when all of a sudden the line stops. She pulls back, and the line loosens and she starts reeling in again. 

There is something moving right under the surface about ten feet out when the line stops again. She pulls and the fishing line still isn’t moving when all of a sudden, the reel gives and whatever she has caught starts pulling drag. 

She can't believe her ears when he starts laughing at her. She scowls at him and growls, “Help me, damn it!”

He scoots in behind her, and brings his arms around her grabbing the pole. Together, they get control of the rod, and reel in her catch. It takes them a minute or two, but when finally comes to the surface, Katniss squeals and Peeta says, “Well, I’ll be damned!”

At the end of the fishing line is a snapping turtle the size of a manhole cover. Peeta reaches quickly into his back pocket to get his knife, but when he looks up, Katniss has already cut it lose. They both watch it sink back down into the depths of the lake. Breathless from the struggle, they look at each other and start laughing. 

“I think that is the biggest thing I’ve ever caught,” Katniss says.

“I think it’s the biggest thing I’ve ever caught, too. Who did you go fishing with?”

“Daddy would take me. Prim never did like to go, so it would just be me and him.”

“Yeah, me and Dad would go sometimes after work.” Peeta says.

Katniss watches as the sad look he had a couple of days ago, creeps back into his eyes. She touches his leg, getting his attention. “I’ve got you now.” 

He grabs her hand, bringing it up to his lips, and he kisses her palm. He then puts her palm on his cheek, and leans into her touch. “Yes, you do. So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?”

“Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” Katniss leans into him, claiming his lips in a kiss. 

Kpkpkpkp

They finish fishing and Peeta takes them back to shore, so they can load the boat. With both of them working together, they quickly have it loaded, and are on the way back to Finnick’s.

“Would you two like to come in for a little bit?” Annie asks while Peeta is unhooking the boat from his truck.

He looks at Katniss, and she shrugs. “It’s up to you,” she replies. 

“Yeah, we’ll come in.” Peeta finishes unhitching the boat, and they follow Annie into the house. 

“Come on Katniss,” Annie says as she pulls Katniss towards the stairs. “We just painted the nursery. Peeta won’t like it.”

Katniss gives Peeta a puzzled look. “He won’t? Why not?”

Annie says with a giggle, “because he thinks that if he didn’t paint it, it looks like crap.” 

Katniss giggles too, and then abruptly stops. “Wait, you paint too?”

“I do.” He simply says, and kisses Katniss on the nose. “Let’s go see this nursery of yours, Annie. Where is Finnick?”

“Here I am.” Katniss looks up to where he is standing at the top of the stairs wiping his hands with a rag. His clothes are paint splattered and he grins when he sees them. “Get up here, Mellark and tell me what a crappy job I did.” 

They walk up the stairs to meet him, and Peeta slaps Finnick on the back. “It can't be all that bad, can it? I could have helped if you would have waited for me.”

Finnick smiles at Katniss. “You’ve been busy. Besides, I’ve enjoyed working on it. I guess I’m nesting? I will say that I’m just glad that we tore up the carpet and haven’t put down the wood flooring yet.”

Peeta starts laughing. “Did you make a big mess?”

Annie giggles. “He knocked over the paint bucket, and spilled half of it before he could get it set up right again.”

Katniss walks into the room that still smells like wet paint. The walls are painted blue, that isn’t quite a baby blue, but more of a light country blue. Katniss looks at Annie, who smiles back, and nods. “You’re having a boy?”

Peeta grabs her in a hug when she starts nodding, and Katniss joins them. “That’s wonderful! Congratulations! When are you due?” Katniss asks. 

They all separate and Finnick comes up and throws his arm around Annie’s shoulders. “I’m due around the end of March,” Annie says. 

Peeta looks around the room, with a faraway look in his eyes. “Oh no. He has that look. We have to get ready for the show. We don’t have time for one of your ideas.” Finnick scolds him. 

“Ideas?” Katniss asks.

“When he gets that look, he is planning something,” Annie answers.

“That I am. When are you putting down the flooring?” Peeta wonders.

“It will be here next week. I’ll probably put it down when we get back. What are you wanting to do?” Finnick asks. 

“Can I finish painting?” 

“But I finished it,” Finnick protests.

“Do you trust me?” Peeta teases.

Finnick releases a sigh so dramatic that the girls start giggling. “You know I do. What are you planning on doing in here?”

“You’ll just have to trust me. It will be good and I know Annie will love it.”

“Wait,” Katniss says. “When is the show?”

“We leave next Thursday. Didn’t Peeta tell you?” Finnick asks.

“I knew it was soon, just not that soon.” Katniss stammers. “I haven’t told Haymitch—“

“I already took care of it,” Finnick says.

“Haymitch knows?”

Peeta wraps his arm around her shoulders. “Haymitch knows that you are also working for us at the studio,” she looks at him like she is getting ready to draw blood, or run away. “He doesn’t know about the rope stuff. Or if he does he has never mentioned it. He just knows that you are modeling for some pictures that I’m working on.” Peeta says with authority.

“You took care of what?” Katniss questions Finnick. 

“You are taking two days of your vacation. We are flying out on Thursday to Vegas. The show is Friday and Saturday.”

“Ok, I didn’t know. Are we going to practice what we will be doing?”

Peeta looks thoughtful. “We will practice the actual ties. But it’s more of a performance piece. Annie? Do you have any of your old videos?”

Annie rubs her stomach thoughtfully like only a pregnant woman can do. “I think they are beside the TV? Unless Finn moved them?”

“Come on, let’s go see.” And everyone follows Finnick out of the room, and back downstairs. 

Annie starts looking at the movie cases piled up on the shelves, and quickly finds what she is looking for. She takes it out, and pops it into the player. Finnick picks up the remote, waiting for everyone to find a place to sit. The girls curl up on the couch, both of them tucking their legs under them, while Peeta and Finnick makes themselves comfortable in the easy overstuffed chairs waiting for them. 

When the DVD starts, Finnick fast forwards it through the beginning credits. “Stop here.” Peeta quietly commands. "Let’s watch this first part. So Katniss can get an idea of its going to be like.” 

The DVD plays at its normal speed, Katniss is bombarded by all kinds of images. There are people with collars on attached to leashes being pulled up men and women. There is lots of black leather and “is that vinyl?” she asks. Peeta smiles and nods. 

After some cheesy graphics that Annie, Finnick and Peeta laugh at, Katniss looks at them confused. “That was Finnick’s first and last attempts at trying to do titles on videos.” 

“This is the fetish fashion show,” Annie offers after seeing Katniss’ confused look. “That was one of Cinna’s first shows.”

“Cinna from the studio?” Katniss asks.

“He is the one who helped Peeta and Finnick break into all that.” Annie says gesturing towards the TV. “He started off designing fetish wear, then Hollywood discovered him. He has designed several pieces for different movies.” 

“Pay attention, ladies. There might be a test later,” Finnick teases causing Annie sticks out her tongue at him Katniss smiles at their antics and starts to watch again. When the fashion show is over, Finnick asks Peeta, “Can I fast forward?”

“Yes, we can watch you and Annie.” 

“Hey, I’m on there, too!” Peeta says.

“Wait,” Katniss starts. “I thought you were Peeta’s model.” 

“I am, I mean I was. At first, it was Finnick tying, then he taught Peeta. Do you remember those big prints in the studio? The one that are tied into trees and a heart?” Katniss nods, and Annie continues. “It was both of them tying. And sometimes at a show, they will both be doing it.”

“Yeah, Peeta learned everything I showed him and then some. It’s like this, when Peeta is tying someone, it’s not just a form of bondage. Its art. It’s something you can't look away from. That is why people come to these shows, it’s to see Peeta. That is why his prints sell.” Finnick starts the DVD again from where he had it paused. “Just watch, you’ll see.” 

Annie comes out, holding Finnick’s hand. He simply kisses the palm of her hand, and then her forehead. It’s only when he moves his hand to his belt that Katniss notices the bundles of ropes hanging there. He unclips one, unravels it very quickly, and is wrapping it around Annie. He ties her into the same chest harness that Peeta has used on her. He then grabs another bundle, and this time, he puts Annie into a hip harness. 

Finnick pulls another bundle from his waist, and Peeta comes to join him on the stage. Finnick does most of the tying while Peeta helps when he needs him to. With Peeta’s help, they soon have Annie hanging over the stage. 

Finnick turns the DVD off, and Annie quietly gets up. She goes over to Finnick and crawls up into his lap, tucking herself into his side. He kisses the top of her head, and smiles. 

Peeta stands up, motioning for Katniss to join him. “I think we will be going.” 

“Do you want to go over the ties tomorrow with Katniss for the show?” Finnick asks looking at Katniss. “Do you want to know exactly what is going to happen? Or just let Peeta show you the ties he is going to use and go from there?”

Katniss looks at Peeta. “We can do it however you want,” he answers her unspoken question. 

“Can I think about it?” Katniss asks.

Peeta nods. “We’ll figure it out tomorrow. Well goodbye Finnick and Annie.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow!” Annie calls after them. 

They wave and shut the door behind them. Katniss then asks Peeta as they walk to his truck. “Annie will be at the studio tomorrow?” 

He opens the passenger door for her. “Yes, she volunteered to be there for moral support.” 

“Moral support?” Katniss squeaks. “What exactly are you going to be doing to me tomorrow?” 

He smiles and kisses her on the nose. “You will just have to wait and see.”

Kpkpkpkp

Madge comes by her office the next day. “Let’s go eat.”

Katniss shuffles some papers, looking for the list that she made that morning. “Ok. Hang on—“

Madge comes into the room. “What are you looking for?”

“Haymitch gave me some order forms—“ 

Madge picks up some papers on the corner. “Are these them?”

Katniss looks at them in relief. “That’s them. He should have given them to you to deal with.”

“No it’s the first of November. I dealt with the Halloween orders, now you have to deal with the Christmas ones.”

“You can be so hateful when you want to be.” 

“I’m not hateful. Besides I’m about to buy your lunch.”

“And why are you doing that?” Katniss asks as she grabs her purse.

Madge smirks. “Well for one I want to know what is going on with you and Peeta, and I’m hoping that you won’t ask me to help you with the Christmas stuff. Which I know is useless because you are going to be off some next week, so I will have to work on that anyway.”

They walk out of the office area, heading to the parking lot. “How do you know that I’m taking some time off next week?”

“Haymitch told me this morning. So where are you going?” 

Katniss unlocks the doors, and they get in. “We are going to Vegas for a show. What do mean Haymitch told you? What does he know?”

Katniss is driving out of the parking lot when Madge replies, “All he said is that you are taking a couple of days next week. From what little I do know about Peeta, it seems like he will respect the boundaries you put up. Do you want to go eat at Athens?”

Katniss turns at the red light towards the restaurant. “I’ll try to get everything done before Wednesday.” 

“Oh, it’s ok. I know that you have a lot to get ready for. Have they told you what the show is going to be like?” Madge asks.

“They showed me an old video of when they first started. I know that it’s going to be unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I just hope I can remember not to embarrass myself.”

“How are you going to do that?” Madge asks as Katniss pulls into the parking lot. 

“Can you imagine what is going to be happening there? I don’t know if it’s going to be a like a carnival? Or is it going to be like a sex circus? Or what if there is an orgy?” 

“I saw the way Peeta was looking at you the other night. If an orgy breaks out then I don’t think you have to worry about anything,” Madge says.

“Why do you say that? How was he looking at me?” Katniss asks.

“Honestly, I don’t think he would share you with anyone. The way he looked at you, I could tell that he adores you. I’ve only seen one other person look at someone like that.”

“You have? Who was that?” 

“Oh, Katniss you are so clueless sometimes. That is the way your parents would look at each other.”

Kpkpkpkp

 

Over the next couple of evenings, Katniss goes to the studio after work. By the time she wakes up on Thursday, her entire body hurts. She sits up and moans when he pulls her back next to him. “I am so sore,” she complains. “And you haven’t even started showing me the suspension ties.”

Peeta doesn’t say a word, but rolls her over onto her stomach. She is still naked from the night before when they had fallen into the bed after practicing at the studio. He starts rubbing her back, and the only thing she can do is groan. 

He chuckles, “Do I make you feel that good?”

“You do,” she says breathlessly.

He finishes rubbing her back, and smacks her plush bottom when he is done. “Come on, we have to get to work.”  
Kpkpkpkp

That evening it’s just Katniss and Peeta at the studio. “What did you say Annie had to do?” Katniss asks. 

“She has a late doctor’s appointment to make sure she is good to go next week.” Peeta replies. 

Katniss’s stomach starts to churn when Peeta interrupts her thoughts, “You are too much in your head again.”

She tries to shrug, but the rope he cinched around her torso, prevents her from doing so. “I can't help it. I have no idea what to expect. I know I’m going to mess up.”

He stands from where he was crouched down, adjusting on her suspension hip harness making sure it’s perfect. He smacks her on the bottom, and she answers him with a grunt. 

“All you have to do is to focus on me,” he says, framing her face with his hands and kisses her lightly.

She wants to know what it feels like before the show, so they are alone and Katniss is topless like she will be in the show. The only thing she is wearing the leather bikini bottoms that just arrived today. Since she is topless, and he will be suspending her; he is using his favorite rope, the organic bamboo that is extra soft. She feels the soft rope, and how caresses her where it meets her skin, just like she wishes he would right now. 

He checks the knots on her hip and chest harness. He then gets another coil of rope from his waist. Katniss is in the simple chest harness that he usually puts her in, so he takes the bight of the rope, and slides it under where the harness is under her breasts. Sliding it gently, he threads it under where the ropes wind across the top of her breasts. 

Katniss watches as he takes the rope, and threads it through the ring that hangs above her head. Her arms are tied behind her, and once again she is amazed that she is surprisingly comfortable like that. Peeta gets another skein of rope, and adds it to the ropes that are around her hips. 

“You know, I’m really starting to enjoy this,” Katniss admits.

He smirks and keeps on tying the knot. Then he passes the end of the rope through the ring. He doesn’t tie it off at first, but instead catches her eye. When he has her attention, he starts to pull the end of the rope down. She feels the tug, and she lets out a peep of surprise when she feels herself being lifted. 

Peeta smiles at her reaction, and bends down sweeping her off of her feet. He looks up securing the rope and steps back. 

“This feels amazing,” Katniss admits. 

“I thought you would like It.” he comes back to stand beside her, and rests his hands on her knees. He smirks and says, “And I like this.”

“You do?” she says, trying to sound seductive, but to her own ears, she doesn’t. 

He parts her legs, and kisses the inside of her knee. The way he is looking at her, she must have sounded seductive after all. He trails a hand up her leg to where the bikini bottom is. He doesn’t say anything, but just touches her through them. She can feel him tracing the edge of her panties, and she pleads, “Please, Peeta.”

“What is it kitten?” he rubs her harder, which makes her squirm. He slips a finger under the leather, feeling for her warm center. She sighs into his touch and he pulls away from her.

She looks at him confused, until he pulls the strings on the sides of her bikini bottom. The ties come lose, and she whispers, “That’s what those are for?”

“Hmmm—“ he mummers. “Easy access.” He still doesn’t touch her, but instead asks, “Are you comfortable?”

She wiggles against the restraints. “I am. It’s kind of cozy.”

“Can you still feel your hands?”

“I don’t know?” she replies trying to keep the worry out of her voice. 

“What is the matter?” he quickly loosens the rope supporting her hips. He helps her to get on her feet, and holds her arm when she is unsteady. 

“I think I can feel them. I’m trying to wiggle them, but I can't tell if I am.” Peeta gets the EMT safety scissors that he keeps in his pocket and brings them up so he can start cutting the rope from her when she stops him. “There, look at my fingers. I can wiggle them.” she reassures him. He still holds her when he turns her in his arms so he can see her wiggling her fingers that are bound behind her. She can feel him doing something to her fingers. “What are you doing?”

“Checking for circulation.” She feels a sharp prick on her finger. “Did you feel that?” he asks. 

“I did. Am I ok, Dr. Mellark?”

He turns her back around so she is looking at him. He kisses her nose and says, “I think you are, kitten. Can you stand a little more?” 

She fights the lightheadedness that tries to come. “I think so. I feel kind of woozy though.”

He nods in understanding. “I think your first suspension got you excited.”

“But we didn’t really do it but for just a minute.”

“That’s all we needed. We’ll work on it some more tomorrow.” He starts undoing the knots that are holding her arms. 

“Are you sure? I can keep going—“

“No, kitten, I’m sure. Besides you are starting to go into subspace. And I want to try something while you are there.”

“While I’m where?” she asks confused. She is starting to get that drunk feeling again. She can feel him tugging on her, and the grip of the ropes loosening. She closes her eyes against the sensation, missing its comfort as the ropes fall away. She feels that her arms are free, and she tries to stand on her feet. But instead of being steady, she starts to topple over. She feels him sweeping her up into his arms and carry her. 

The sound of his footsteps change as he walks from the studio into his apartment. The ropes still dangle from her as he sets her on the bed. It isn’t until she feels his quilt under her bare bottom that she remembers that she is naked. She finally opens her eyes, her silver ones meeting his blue ones. He is still bent over her from where he sat her down when she tries to sit up. 

“Let me get under the covers,” she pleads.

This time he claims her lips, and nudges her back down onto the bed instead. Even through the clouds that have gathered in her head, she can still see the gleam in his eyes when he smirks at her and simply says, “No.”

Her arms give out from where she has pushed herself up, and she collapses back onto the bed. He gathers up the ropes, coiling them as he goes. She watches him out of half-lidded eyes. He then grasps one of the ropes, matching the ends, and he finds the middle. Wrapping the rope around her wrist, in what she now knows is a single column tie, he ties her wrist and secures it to the corner of his bed. 

He repeats this on her other wrist, and then moves to her ankles securing her to the bed. She doesn’t pull against the ropes, but instead relaxes into them again. When he is finished tying, he sits on his side of the bed beside her. She looks up at him, and through the haze in her mind, she feels like whatever this is that she is starting to feel for him is shining all over her face and she doesn’t mind one bit.

He lays his hand in between her breasts, and it feels like her heart beats stronger, trying to reach his palm. His finger then travel over her breasts, circling each nipple, teasing her peaks to harden even more than they were before. She is ready to beg him, when he bends over and take the right nipple in his mouth, while he sharply pinches the other one. 

His mouth sets her nerves on fire, and the searing heat of the fire shoots straight to her center. This time she does pull against the ropes when he trades places with his mouth and his hand. She loves it when he does this, and she wants to pull him closer. 

He pulls away, breaking suction with a pop. All she can do is groan at the loss of his heat. He pulls out the drawer on his bedside table, and pulls out one of his ties. Her eyes widen, when she sees the tie coming to cover her eyes. “Peeta?” she questions. She feels him lifting her head, and ties it in the back. 

His lips settle on hers, drawing her into a lingering kiss. It’s all she can focus on and she feels herself pooling with desire with his touch. He pulls away and she misses him. She can hear him digging in the drawer again and emerges is a sound like the creak of a book opening, and pages turning. Then he begins to read. His voice caresses the words like his hands would her skin.

“The Kiss by Stephen Dunn

She pressed her lips to mind  
-a typo  
How many years I must have yearned  
for someone’s lips against mind.  
Pheromones, newly born, were floating  
between us. There was hardly any air.

 

She kissed me again, reaching that place  
that sends messages to toes and fingertips,  
then all the way to something like home.  
Some music was playing on its own.

 

Nothing like a woman who knows  
to kiss the right thing at the right time,  
then kisses the things she’s missed.  
How had I ever settled for less?

 

I was thinking this is intelligence,  
this is the wisest tongue  
since the Oracle got into a Greek’s ear,  
speaking sense. It’s the Good,

 

defining itself. I was out of my mind.  
She was in. we married as soon as we could.

 

“That is beautiful.” She says, feeling her desire impossibly increase with every line he reads. 

“That is one of my favorites. I like this one too.” He begins to read again, his voice a little huskier and his breathing heavier.

 

“First Love by John Clarke 

 

I ne'er was struck before that hour  
With love so sudden and so sweet,  
Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower  
And stole my heart away complete.  
My face turned pale as deadly pale.  
My legs refused to walk away,  
And when she looked, what could I ail?  
My life and all seemed turned to clay.

 

And then my blood rushed to my face  
And took my eyesight quite away,  
The trees and bushes round the place  
Seemed midnight at noonday.  
I could not see a single thing,  
Words from my eyes did start --  
They spoke as chords do from the string,  
And blood burnt round my heart.

 

Are flowers the winter's choice?  
Is love's bed always snow?  
She seemed to hear my silent voice,  
Not love's appeals to know.  
I never saw so sweet a face  
As that I stood before.  
My heart has left its dwelling-place  
And can return no more

Katniss sighs, “I can't believe it.”

She hears him close the book. “You can't believe what?” he asks.

“You are a romantic.” He doesn’t say a word, but instead he sets the book down on the table. She feels the bed shift and it feels like he is getting up. “Wait—,“ she stutters.

She then hears rustling of clothes, the clink of his belt, and the sound a zipper makes when it’s coming undone. The bed shifts again, and she startles when she feels him touch her foot. He presses a kiss on top of it, and murmurs, “Be still, kitten. It’s only me.” He kisses her other foot, goose bumps breaking out when he licks his way to her ankle. She exhales a shaky breath, and she can feel her desire for this amazing man start to leak out of her.

“Peeta,” she pleas, pulling against the ropes wanting to touch him, too. 

“Shhh, kitten,” he soothes as he continues licking his way up to her knees. He presses a kiss on the top of her knee cap, causing a breathless giggle to escape her lips. But when he licks under her knee on her pulse point, she answers him with a moan. He then turns his attention to her other knee, kissing it like she never imagined someone would kiss her knees one day. 

She feels him lean up again, and he reaches for something. A new smell invades her nostrils. “What is that?”

“I think you will like this. I picked it up yesterday.” 

“Is that lavender?” she asks, the scent filling her head and comforting her.

His hands land on her thighs, rubbing the oil into her skin. It warms her even more. “It is,” he answers. He presses the oil into her skin all the way up her legs, reminding her that she is still naked. She can feel herself flush even more. He must have noticed, because she can hear him chuckle. “What is it?” he asks.

“I just remembered that I’m still naked,” she whispers.

She feels him kissing her navel and he murmurs against her stomach, “and you are beautiful.” His hands stop rubbing and the bed shifts as she feels him move. She isn’t sure how he does it, but he startles her when he separates her folds, exposing her clit. Before she realizes what he is doing, he is lapping up the wetness that is leaking from her center. She tries to open herself up wider to him but the ropes at her ankles stop her. 

When he stops and leans up, all she can do is beg, “Oh, please Peeta don’t leave me.”

She feels her feet come lose, and he bends her legs in half so he can get to her. This time when he settles back in between her legs, she can feel his curls against the arch of her feet. When he latches onto her clit she struggles against the ties that bind her wrists. He brings up his hand and simply lays it on her stomach to still her movements and then continues his work in bringing her to orgasm. This time, when she comes, it’s so sudden it leaves her shaking and breathless. 

All of a sudden the tie is gone, and the soft light from his lamp is invading her brain. She looks up, blinking a little bit, and there he is smiling down into her dazed eyes. She is still quivering from her orgasm when he kisses her, and all she can do is kiss him back. She doesn’t realize what he is doing until she feels one arm come lose and then the other one. 

He pulls away for just a moment, reaching for something else on his table. He must have already put a condom on, because when he straightens back up she feels him enter her, going as deep as he can. She mews at his pleasant invasion. He lowers himself back over her, resting his weight on his elbows and starts kissing her again. He pumps himself in and out slowly, and as Katniss feels herself getting ready to come again, she can feel her heart getting ready to burst with the emotions she feels for him.

Aww!!! More fluff and ropes! Here is some more ‘business’ stuff. For Christmas, I am working hard on 2 drabbles, one-shots, little snippets of everlark for Christmas. They will be posted on Tumblr, here and AO3. If you want to read them, then make sure you are subscribed to me, as an author. That way when I post anything, whether it’s here for twisted, or any of those ‘gifts’, then you will know. And yes, I’m still working on this… which I am excited and nervous, the next chapters will be about “the show”. Eeeeekkkk!!! Lol! and don’t forget to tell me what you think!!  
Once again…. Merry Christmas!!! XOXOXOXO! HUGS!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your patience! I know it’s been almost a month since my last update and I am sorry about that. The flu has been awful this year, and literally everyone here in my home state, has it. They really do. We had it over Christmas. Then, I decided to stay sick. I’ve had a fever for three weeks. But I hope that 2015 so far has been better to you, than it has been to me! 
> 
> I need to thank first of all sohypothetically!! She is such a big help! And then dianaflynn for her input! And you, my dear reader… I hope you enjoy this chapter!! And who is my guest reviewer? You are so sweet! Thank you!! 
> 
> Now, I need to talk about this chapter for a minute. We are on the way to the show, finally!! And we are there for the beginning/opening stuff. There aren’t really any warnings for this chapter, unless you don’t like elevators ;)

The wheels leave the tarmac and she feels the weirdest sensation she has ever felt in her life. She grabs hold of Peeta’s sleeve, and she hears him chuckle beside her. She is still mad at him for laughing at her the night before when she admitted that she has never flown before. 

“You mean you have never been anywhere?” he teases.

“Shut up, Mellark,” she growls. “I’ve been too busy working to take any long trips. If this is going to be a problem, then I don’t have to go.”

He sobers instantly. She can feel his breath on her neck and his heat behind her. He grabs her hips, and pulls her against him. This time it’s his turn to growl, “Don’t even think about not coming.” 

“What are you smiling about?” He whispers when the plane levels out.

She opens her eyes and smiles when she sees how close he is. “I was thinking about last night.”

He answers her with a chuckle. He picks up her hand, and kisses her knuckles. “We need to do that again, and soon.”

“We need to do what again?” she asks innocently.

He glances around to see that the seatbelt sign has been turned off and no one else is moving around the cabin. Finnick and Annie are sitting right across the aisle, and they look at him curiously when he stands up. Peeta smirks at them and says, “Watch our stuff, please.” He takes Katniss’s hand, pulling her behind him. She can feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she hears Finnick’s laughter following them down the aisle. 

Katniss starts to pull her hand away, when they are met by a red-headed stewardess whose name tag says, “Rollie Green.” She narrows her eyes at them and stares at them for a minute. “I don’t know what you two are planning, but if better not be what I think it might be. Do you understand me?” Rollie orders like a marine staff sergeant. 

She sees Peeta look down nervously, he doesn’t see the wink that her old friend gives her. She winks back and tries to keep a straight face when Peeta steals a glance at her. Rollie graduated high school with her and Madge, and was Katniss’ biology lab partner when they were both freshman. Katniss knew that she worked for Delta, she just didn’t know what flight she worked. Evidently, it is Asheville to Atlanta today.

Peeta starts to say something when Rollie interrupts, “Is there something I can help you with, Mr.—“

“Mellark. Peeta Mellark.” 

Rollie gasps. “You don’t mean the Peeta Mellark? Do you?” 

Katniss coughs to cover up her giggle when he looks around in surprise. She can't hold it in anymore and cracks up. Rollie joins in her laughter. He looks at them in confusion. Even Annie and Finnick turn around to watch, along with half of the plane. “What is going on here?” he wonders.

When Katniss can breathe again, she introduces them. “Peeta, this is an old friend from high school, Rollie Green. Rollie, this is my boyfriend, Peeta.” They shake hands. 

Peeta runs his hands through the curls at his nape and shakes his head at them. He kisses Katniss and says, “I’m going to go sit down.” Peeta makes his way back to their seats, where Finnick waits, chuckling.

“You just thought you were going to get to join the mile-high club.” He smirks. 

Before he can reply, Rollie walks down the aisle. Stopping in between Peeta and Finnick, she bends over so only Peeta can hear her. “If you hurt her, I will blow your house up. Besides, she loves you already.” Without meeting his eyes, she straightens and continues to the front of the plane. He is certain that Finnick is saying something, but he can’t hear him from his heart pounding in his ears. 

He isn’t sure how long she is gone, but when Katniss comes back and touches his shoulder to let her back in her window seat, she surprises him. After she sits down, she kisses him on the cheek. He in turn takes her hand and kisses her palm. “I love the way you make me feel when you do that,” she admits. 

He pulls her hand towards him, and when she bends over, he kisses her. The pilot comes on and announces that the fasten seatbelt sign is on, and they are getting ready to land in Atlanta. “One short lay-over, then we will be on the way to Vegas. Are you ready for this?” 

She tries not to let her nerves show. “As long as you don’t leave me, I’ll be ok,” she promises. 

Kpkpkpkp

After a short lay-over, they are soon on the plane to Vegas. All of Peeta’s ideas of trying anything with Katniss are short-lived when he realizes how many more people there are on this plane. Instead they curl up together, and take a nap. The steward wakes them all-too-soon to ask if their seatbelts are on. Annie was able to book all of their seats together, so after they collect their bags, they move quickly from the plane. Katniss follows them out of the airport to the driver the convention sent to meet them. 

Watching the landscape whizz by, Katniss can't help but to be amazed at the differences between here and her mountains. “Everything is so flat and brown.” She hears the rest of them laughing, and it takes her a minute to realize that they are laughing at her. “Did I say that out loud?”

“It is a big difference,” Annie says. “It’s a different world entirely. Are you ready for this?”

“I think so?” Katniss shyly admits. “We don’t have to stay for everything that is going to happen, do we?”

Peeta picks up her hand and kisses her knuckles. “I need your help with the demonstration. Up to you as far as what you want to watch or participate in. I promised you that I won’t leave you and I won’t.”

Annie reaches over and grabs her other hand. “I’ll stay with you, too if you want me to.”

“And you know I’m not leaving Annie.” Finnick smiles. “Just remember that all of these people are just people who like to explore their kinks and aren’t afraid of it.”

Annie giggles. “Yeah, no kink shaming.” 

Katniss joins in. “That is a good way to think about it.” She takes a shaky breath, and Peeta squeezes her hand again. She looks over his shoulder and sees that the car is pulling into one of the big hotels Vegas is known for. “I’m not ready for this,” she admits, taking a deep breath and trying not to hyperventilate.

Peeta rubs her back and Annie whispers, “Breathe, Katniss. There is nothing to worry about. You aren’t alone in this.” The car comes to a stop and Finnick opens the door, letting in the dry desert air. 

She takes a deep breath, and feels hands pulling her out. The bright sun blinds her, but she gulps in fresh air. She concentrates on her breaths until her heart slows down too. She opens her eyes again to see Peeta’s Carolina blue ones waiting for her. She sees his eyes crinkle at the corners and then he pulls her into a hug. “You aren’t alone in this. I’m not leaving your side. You’re mine,” he whispers in her ear. 

Katniss has always thought of herself as a strong woman. She has had to be over the years, especially before Prim got into medical school. But hearing this man, this wonderful man that she has known for only a short amount of time, tell her that she belongs to him makes her heart beat faster. This time in a good way. “You promise?” she whispers back.

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he claims her lips. Cupping the back of her head, he leans her backward to take his claim. She isn’t shy when she returns his kiss, earning a moan from him. He finishes the kiss, never taking his eyes off of her. “Do we have our rooms yet, Finnick?”

Annie’s tinkling laughter drifts to her ears. “Let’s go check in, and then you can finish all that.”

He kisses the end of her nose, takes her hand, and leads her into the hotel.

Kpkpkpkp

Their rooms end up being an upgrade from the management of “the Show” as a thank you for performing a demo. Instead of the individual rooms across the hall from each other that Peeta booked two months ago, it’s a suite that they all can share. A sunken great room surrounds a fireplace next to a kitchenette with a microwave. On the other side are two bedrooms. The couples quickly decide which room they want and go into change clothes. 

Peeta is busy kissing his way down Katniss’ body when Finnick knocks on the door. At first Peeta tries to ignore him, but Finnick opens the door anyway. “I thought I locked that,” Peeta swears while Katniss pulls her shirt back down before Finnick can see anything. Peeta turns around to scowl at his friend and Finnick laughs anyway. 

“I need you two to come with me and Annie. I have a surprise for her and I need your help.” 

“Finnick,” Peeta groans. “Can’t we do this another time?”

“There isn’t another time. Sunday you will be ready to hurry up and leave, and you know there won’t be any time tomorrow. Cinna’s show is tonight, and I know you don’t want to miss it. So we go now,” Finnick demands. 

Annie appears behind him wearing a white lace mini dress. Katniss can almost make out her baby bump. Annie smiles at her and says, “He even gave me this new dress to wear.” She twirls to show it off.

“Holy shit!” Peeta swears. “You look beautiful. Let us change and we’ll be right out.”

“What you are wearing is fine—“ 

Peeta interrupts Finnick, “Let us change.” Finnick answers him with a grin and pulls Annie back out of their room. “I didn’t think he would do it without Grandma Mags here.” he unbuttons his jeans, letting them fall.

“What are you talking about?” 

“Did you bring that orange dress that I asked you to?”

“Yeah, I did. Will you please tell me what is going on?”

He kisses her instead. “Just change. This is going to be good.”

Kpkpkpkp 

With the girls looking fresh and beautiful in spite of the long plane ride and the guys looking handsome in their dress slacks and button up shirts, they walk out of the hotel onto the Vegas strip. Finnick looks both ways, and Peeta sees the chapel at the same time. Finnick kisses Annie’s hand and takes off towards it. 

When he is in front of the steps, he stops and turns to her, kisses her, and drops to one knee. Annie’s eyes grow big when she realizes what he is doing. “Annie, I love you so much.” He kisses her baby bump. “And I love this little one coming to see us. Will you marry me? Right here, right now?” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. He opens it. Katniss sees that it’s a beautiful antique emerald ring.

“Oh, Finnick,” Annie breathes and pulls him to his feet. She kisses him and pulls him into a hug. “I would love to marry you—“

“Wonderful!” He pulls her up the stairs, but she stops him.

“I’m going to marry you, but not today.” He looks back at her, crestfallen. She pulls him close and caresses his cheek. “I know the perfect spot where I want to promise you my forever. It’s not here in Vegas.” She kisses him. “Besides I know that if we get married without Grandma Mags here, it won’t be the same. Can we wait for her?”

He sighs. “Are you sure?”

“I’m not going anywhere. You have my heart. Besides, I like the way you tie me up and spank my butt too much to let you get away,” she says with a smirk.

Before Finnick can say anything, Peeta’s phone rings. “Hello? I hate to hear that.” He pauses for a moment. “Yeah, Katniss and Annie both are here.” Katniss can hear someone getting louder and sounding more and more upset. “Ok, we will head your way then. See in a minute.”

“Who was that?” Katniss asks.

“That was Cinna. Do you girls want to be in a fashion show?” Peeta asks.

Katniss tries to keep the worry off of her face while Annie looks excited. “But what about the bump?”

“It’s Cinna. He can work with the bump,” Finnick reassures her. 

“What fashion show?” Katniss demands.

Peeta pulls her in for a kiss. “It’s Cinna’s fashion show. He said some of the couples who were going to wear his stuff never showed up. It will be fun.”

 

Kpkpkpkp

Peeta leads them into the convention area of the hotel. Sitting at a desk is that awful woman that Katniss saw at Twisted last month. She stands when she sees them and says, “Welcome, welcome—“

“What is she doing here?” Katniss asks.

Peeta tugs on her hand to quiet her. “Effie! How nice it is to see you again!”

“Peeta! I’m so glad that you made it. Finnick! It’s always a delight to see you, too.” 

Finnick nods to her. “Are we wearing those name tags again this year?”

“You know that it’s for everyone’s safety. We can't just have anyone walking in here,” Effie explains. She looks at the tags on the desk. “Ah, there you are,” she says, handing a tag to each of them. There are printed at the top with a picture below. 

“Where is Cinna?” Peeta asks. 

“He is backstage.” Effie waves her hands. “You know, doing last minute fittings. Go on in. Your boxes are back there, too Peeta.” 

“Let’s go find Cinna.”

They walk past a man and a woman standing in the doorway all dressed in black who glance at their name tags and nod them on it. It’s dark, and it takes Katniss’ eyes a moment to adjust before she can see again. Peeta pulls her down a long, dark carpeted ramp. Once they reach the bottom, there is a flurry of activity. They stand there for a moment, watching, when a voice calls out, “Oh thank goodness it’s them!”

Katniss looks up to the stage, which has a runway extending from it. At the end is Cinna, waving to them. “Come on! I think I will need all of you!” 

Soon, Katniss finds herself wearing a dress that has the most unusual soft and shiny fabric. The neckline is interesting. It would be strapless, but for a “Y” coming down from her shoulders ending in-between her breasts. Then in its simplicity, it ends right where it meets the garter belt and thigh highs stockings Cinna had given her moments before. The back, however, cascades to the floor. “I thought this would be made out of leather or vinyl,” she quips. “Isn’t that what fetish wear is made from?”

“Hush,” Cinna whispers. “We are trying something new this year. You will be the most beautiful model tonight. Peeta won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.” 

Katniss can't seem to take her eyes off of Cinna. He wears black leather pants, tall black boots and a simple black leather collar. From it hangs a tag with a fancy “P”. “That is an amazing collar. What does the “P” stand for?”

He straightens up in pride. “I belong to Portia.”

“What do you mean when you say you belong to her? Peeta wants me to wear his collar, but the whole thing confuses me.”

“For us, it means that I chose to let her have control over my life and that I belong to her. It’s kind of like a wedding ring.”

Katniss thinks for a moment before she says, “But when Peeta asked me to wear his collar, he explained it as a kind of protection?”

Cinna nods. “I see what he means. These people who come to these shows only understand the power play that happens between a dominant and a submissive. And some of them, don’t know how to hear, ‘no’. When Peeta asked you to wear his collar, did he explain it like that?”

She nods. “He did.” She blushes while she bashfully says, “he’s also saying that I’m his.”

“And how does that make you feel?”

“I like it. I haven’t felt like I belonged anywhere in a long time.”

Cinna throws an arm around her shoulders. “Peeta is a good man. For what it counts among this band of misfits, he is well respected. Take good care of him.” 

She nods again and Portia comes up behind Cinna and clears her throat. He turns towards her, and drops his gaze to the floor. She doesn’t say anything but runs her fingers through his corkscrew curls on the top of his head. Katniss isn’t sure what to think when she sees Cinna shiver at her touch. Is that a shiver of anticipation? Or nerves? 

Before she has a chance to do anything, she feels a presence behind her. She looks down to see who is it and when she doesn’t recognize the shoe, she twirls quickly nearly colliding with Peeta. Breathlessly, she exclaims, “You scared me!”

He chuckles and grabs her arms to steady her. She can't help but to notice that he is wearing the same fabric she is, but his outfit is simple pants and a vest that shows off his arms. His touch sends a shot of electricity to her core, and she can't help the pool of desire that gathers there. He pulls her close and gives her a kiss. “You look amazing.” 

He doesn’t give her a chance to reply. Instead, he pulls a box out of his back pocket. She can feel everyone’s eyes on them as he opens it. Inside is a narrow strip of red leather with a gold buckle. Attached to it is a small charm. He picks up the collar and Portia takes the box from him. Now she realizes the charm is a twisted, knotty tree. She takes in a sudden breath when she realizes that it’s the same tree that is on the label of the beer at work. He looks nervously at the other people watching them. She keeps her eyes on him as he pulls apart the collar and brings it to her neck. She pulls her hair to the side so he can put it around her neck.

He slides the end through the buckle, and stops for a moment when she whispers, “Not too tight, please.” He nods and buckles it in place. She jumps when everyone around them gives them a hand of applause.

“You could have waited for the collaring ceremony after the show,” Portia offers.

Peeta shrugs. “She didn’t want a big to-do. And I didn’t want to wait. When is the show going to start?” 

“In a little bit. There is some food in the back if you are hungry.” Katniss feels Portia looking over her and checking out Cinna’s dress. She picks up a lock of her hair that falls over her shoulder. “She really is lovely, Peeta. I never would have imagined you as taking a pet, however.”

Katniss is getting ready to say something when Peeta grabs her hand and squeezes. “How could I not, seeing one as lovely as this?” 

Thankfully, before she can ask them what in the hell are they talking about, Annie and Finnick walk in. Finnick wears nothing more than a fishing net and Annie hangs onto him for dear life as she tries to walk in a dress that makes her look like a mermaid caught in a net. Cinna comes up behind them, making adjustments, and freeing Annie so she can take a full step. 

“You know, I think between the both of you, I could catch a lot of fish,” Katniss jokes. 

Annie smiles. “You know, you are probably right.”

Before she can say anything else, a woman walking up behind Annie catches Katniss’ eye. She is dressed in a short, silver, glitter mini dress. When she takes a step, Katniss can see the tops of her stockings. But what really gets her attention is the people following her. 

There are two of them wearing nothing but leather bikini bottoms and collars. From each one hangs a simple leather leash held by the stunning, silver-clad woman. She bestows a smile that Katniss is convinced she spent hours practicing on them, then extends the hands that isn’t holding the leashes to Peeta and Finnick. She purrs, “There are the handsome men of Twisted. I was hoping to run into you.

Peeta shakes her hand and Finnick acts like there is something with his net poking him. Katniss can tell by the way the woman rolls her eyes that she is dismissing Finnick and she really wants to talk to Peeta. “Cashmere, this is Katniss. Katniss this is Cashmere.” Peeta introduces.

Katniss tries to keep her face neutral when Cashmere waves off the introduction. “Peeta, darling, you know how I feel about touching subs. I only touch mine when I want something from them.”

Peeta grabs Katniss’ hand and pulls her close, tucking it under his arm. “She is much more than just a sub. We need to finish getting ready for Cinna.” He turns to leave. “There is a dress code this year. You probably need to remember that.”

Cashmere waves at her subs again. “Oh, them? They are here for the show.” She turns to look for Portia who is watching her from the changing area. “Here they are, dear Portia. Feel free to send them to the dungeon if they don’t behave.” Before she gives the leashes to Portia, she pulls the slaves to her. She caresses the girl, who leans into her touch, before Cashmere slaps her across the face. Then she touches the cheek of the boy, who kisses his mistress’s palm before she slaps him across the face, too. “You two better make me proud of you tonight.” The subs hang their heads and turn to follow Portia. 

Cashmere turns to leave. Before she walks away, she says to Peeta, “Don’t let her think that she is better than you or above you. A sub is a sub. Don’t forget that.”

Katniss can't help her shaking and she has to concentrate on her heartbeat to slow down. All she can is wonder what in the hell is she doing.

Peeta lightly taps her on the face to get her attention which makes her snap out of her panic attack, swinging. He quickly wraps his arms around her and whispering in her ear, “It’s not real Katniss, it’s not real. I don’t play that way, and you know that. It’s not real. What is real is me and you and what we feel for each other.” She quickly wraps her arms around him, hanging on to him like a drowning person. 

Peeta leads her over to their stuff and sit her down. He softly asks Annie to get Katniss a bottle of water then he opens a case and pulls out something. Before she can see what it is, he wraps the blanket from the back of his couch around her. She pulls it close around her, holding it under her nose and breathes in the familiar scent of home, and of Peeta. She can feel the anxiety melt away as she returns to normal. Well, as normal as she can be, sitting on a stage in Vegas wearing some dress that is showing too much of her thighs. 

“Are you ok?” Peeta asks her.

She nods. “I just never imagined that the people here would be that way.”

“It’s part of the lifestyle.” He crouches down in front of her. “I met Cashmere’s slaves before they submitted themselves. The man, Cato, was very violent and kept getting in trouble with the law. The young woman, Clove, well she was suicidal, and would cut herself all the time. She has scars all over her from her knives. Cashmere has done wonders with them.”

“So they just live with her? And do whatever she wants them to?”

“It’s more than that. She has given them limits as to what they can or can't do. And in those limits, she keeps them safe. I do know that Clove isn’t allowed anywhere near knives. Cato has to have so much impact play every day, if not he gets violent.”

The curtains are drawn, and Katniss has just begun to register the noise on the other side when Portia moves to the middle of the stage and clears her throat. “The show will be starting soon. Cinna will be lining you up in order.” She motions for Cinna, who joins her. “Everyone looks beautiful. Break a leg out there.”

Peeta holds out his hand and pulls her to her feet. Together, they walk over and join the others getting in line. Finnick and Annie are the fourth couple in line, and there are several other couples in between where they stand and Katniss and Peeta. She is trying to make sense of the costume when Cinna steps up beside her. “We designed the costumes based on different areas of the United States. You and Peeta represent the Appalachian region. Annie and Finnick represent the coast. The couple in front of you,” at his words, they turn around so they can listen too, “Represent the agriculture region in the country. We thought of twelve “themes” if you will.” They listen as someone out on the stage begins introductions. Cinna gives Katniss a small button. “Push this when you get to the end of the walkway. You and Peeta are the finale.” She looks down in confusion as Cinna leaves to join Portia off to stage left. He doesn’t do anything like kneel, but he does keep his eyes to the floor until it seems that she acknowledges his presence. Even then, he stays behind her, never beside or in front of her.

The curtains open to welcoming applause. The first couple, who are dressed in glittery fabric like Cashmere, strides proudly down the runway. “I wonder what they represent?” Katniss asks.

“It seems like they represent some kind of luxury?” Peeta replies.

The second couple steps up. They are dressed in tight, short military type clothes. Katniss’ breath catches when she recognizes them as Cashmere’s pets from their profiles. Very boldly, they start down the walkway. 

Next, it’s time for the third couple. She can't really place their outfits until Peeta whispers, “They look like some of the graphics from the movie Tron. I’ve never thought of people wanting to cosplay that.” 

Before Katniss can ask him what cosplay is, its Finnick and Annie’s turn. Annie hangs on to Finnick as she tries to walk down the runway. She makes it all the way to the end and back again. The next two couples rush by in a blur, and then Katniss can't help but to notice the axes and the flannel shirts of the seventh couple. “They look cozy,” she quips. 

Peeta nods. He says with a smile, “Everyone is having fun.”

She nods and then takes a deep, calming breath when she realizes that it’s their turn. He grabs her hand, and kisses her palm. He tucks her hand into his elbow, and says, “Are you ready for this?”

She puts her hand up to her face. “Oh no! My mask.”

“This is just a fashion show.” He presses a kiss to her lips and says, “Are you ready?”

Portia announces them before she has a chance to answer him. Katniss is so glad that she has him to hold on to, because she is fairly certain that if he wasn’t there, she would have run away.

They reach the end of the runway. He squeezes her fingers and she pushes the button. They are both surprised when their clothes burst into flame. The crowd erupts into applause and cheers. They stand there for a moment, while the other couples join them. Soon the applause dies down, and she can hear Cinna- or is that Portia? -saying something, but she can't make it out. Before she knows it, Peeta leads her back down the runway.

Cinna meets them as soon as the curtain closes with a hug and a huge congratulations. Katniss lets Peeta lead her off of the stage, and through the back to an elevator. He looks around to see if anyone notices them. Even Annie and Finnick are off to the side talking to the couple dressed as people from Tron. When the doors open, he quickly follows her inside, pushing the button for the doors to close. 

He pushes the button for the 25th floor where their penthouse suite is. She feels the familiar pull of the elevator as it rises as she leans against the wall. She closes her eyes for a moment to process everything that has happened to her today when she feels Peeta leaning against her, kissing her neck. “You don’t know the effect you have,” he whispers, lips pressed against her neck. He continues his assault, biting her ear lobe, and she feels his hands on her breasts, squeezing roughly. 

“Someone might see us,” she moans her weak protest. 

He reaches over and pushes the stop button. “This is a service elevator. They hardly use it anymore,” he says as he runs his hands under her short skirt, pulling it up, exposing her garter belt to his hungry eyes. “You are so fucking sexy. I can't believe that you are mine.”

She can't help the heat that consumes her at his words. “I do belong to you.” She runs her fingers through his hair at his nape and pulls him close so he can claim her lips. 

His hands find her panties under the garter belt, and instead of pulling them down, he slides his fingers along the front, until he finds the source of her heat. Pulling her panties over, he finds her pooling desire. He catches her when her knees give out.

He pumps his fingers in and out, and her hands go to the front of his slacks. She can feel his wonderful hardness and works to find his zipper. Soon she has him freed and she pumps him in time to his fingers sliding in and out of her. They both moan in unison. Without a word, he bends over, and picks her up, looping her legs over his arms, bringing her core in line with his perfect hardness. She reaches to help him. 

She is breathless when he enters, and he starts out gently. Soon, his assault leaves them both gasping. She hangs on to him, pulling his hair while he pushes her into the wall, until they both come together with a shout. 

They stay there, looking into each other’s eyes as they wait for their breathing to return to normal. She kisses him, and he gently returns it. He sets her down, and they straighten out each other’s clothes. He starts the elevator again, and pulls her close so he can kiss her again. 

The doors slide open to two young men who are wearing hotel uniforms, standing there looking nervous.

“Is everything ok?” one of them asks.

Katniss hides her face while Peeta says, “Yes, everything is perfect.” He takes her hand and leads the down the hallway to their suite. 

They both stop outside the door, waiting for Peeta to get the door open when they hear one of the young men say, “Dude! This elevator smells like sex!”

They slam the door behind them. She can't help but to cover her face, while Peeta cracks up laughing. She swats his arm, and then ends up howling with him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, welcome… well here is the chapter that I think many of you have been waiting for. Here is Saturday at “The Show”. There are some warnings… there are mentions of people being spanked. And someone beside Katniss is tied up. And sex, there is a lot of sex in this chapter. If you want to skip this chapter, I understand. My best friend isn’t even reading this one, she doesn’t like to read smut. The mister however, he is enjoying it Lol!! Oh, if you want to skip the mentions of kink, at least read down the first Kpkpkpkp… something important does happen… its good ;)  
> Now for the thanks… first to sohypothetically. You my dear are the best!!! I couldn’t do this without you!!! Titania and Diana, thank you for your input, and as always, my dear pumpkin king!! Thank you all so much!!!! And most of all thank you reader!! You guys keep me going!!! And the ones who review… those make my day. They really do!  
> So… there is something coming, it’s called stories2savelives, or s2sl. It’s over on Tumblr, and the site is s2sl. Net (take out the space) but they are hosting an event to raise money for childhood cancer. (Or message me, and I can help!!) Many of the Hunger Games authors are writing for this (inc. me) to help. Look them up, think about giving, it’s a wonderful charity doing good stuff! And there might be an outtake of twisted on there… I am also writing a brand new story that you might like too!!!

Her bladder demands that she get up but she fights it. It’s so warm, how they are wrapped around each other with his arms holding her tight and their legs intertwined. She doesn't want to get up much less move. She chooses to ignore her need for a moment more and breathes deep where her nose is pressed against his Adam’s apple. She knows he is awake when his arms tighten around her and he swallows.

“Hey,” he says hoarsely.

She kisses his perfect Cupid’s bow mouth in answer. He kisses her back and they sigh as they pull apart. She starts to wiggle away, but his arms stop her. “I have to pee,” she protests.

“I do, too.”

“Me first.”

“I’m coming with you.” 

She raises her brow at this. “Have we been together long enough for us to pee in front of each other?”

He laughs, “I fucked you in an elevator last night. I think I can handle you peeing.” 

She pulls away. “It’s a good thing I grew up with a little sister then.” She stands up and heads to the en-suite bathroom, not checking to see if he is following her. 

“Did you not have any privacy?”

“We had to share a bathroom. And when you gotta go, you gotta go.” Katniss goes ahead and sits while he looks for his toothbrush. He brushes, while she finishes. Playfully pushing him aside, she washes her hands and finds her toothbrush while he trades places with her. 

“Can you not go in front of me?” she teases.

He laughs when he says, “Don’t watch me.”

With a smile and a huff, she turns her back. She giggles when she hears him start to go. “Is it true that it’s about impossible for a guy to stop peeing?”

He looks over his shoulder at her. “It hurts when I have to.”

She walks over to him and cranes her neck so she can see his penis. She reaches for him, and even touches him. She teases, “How does this feel?” He stops. Before he can say anything, she gives him a little shake. 

She giggles while he looks at with a gleam in his eye. She is still giggling while they finish up their morning routines. She is putting her toothbrush away when she feels him behind her, rubbing his hardness against her bottom and she pushes back against him. He moves her hair away from her neck so he can bite and then suck gently. She figures that it might be a good thing to have his mark on her neck. She breaks out in goose bumps as she watches her nipples get hard through her tank top in the mirror above the sink. 

She meets his eyes in the mirror. His eyes never leave hers as he pulls down her panties and his boxers. He pulls her shirt off and growls, “Eyes on the mirror. I want you to watch yourself come.”

Her eyes fly back to the mirror and she watches him grin that grin that she has fallen in love with. He grabs her breasts and pinches the nipples. She moans and rubs her bottom against his dick. He pulls her against him and, with his right hand, he finds the now- familiar trail down to her clit. He lightly touches it and he smiles at her in the mirror before he licks her neck. Then, as he pinches her clit, he bites her neck lightly and pinches her clit, teasing her to the edge. 

When he plunges his finger deep inside of her, reaching her g-spot; she comes with a whimper. Before she realizes what he is doing, he pulls out his finger, and sinks his dick in deep. She leans forward, bracing her arms on the counter, while he grabs her hips. They move together in a dance as old as time itself. They come quickly her with a sob and he with a shout. 

He doesn’t want to leave her yet, and they stand there for a moment watching each other in the mirror. She can't help the tear that leaks out, rolling down her cheek. He pulls out, gathers her close and whispers, “What is wrong kitten?”

“I’m not sure. But I know that I love you.”

She can feel his breath hitch before she can think anything of it, he pushes her away. “You love me?” he says in disbelief.

With a weak smile and a nod she says, “I do.” 

And before she can say anything else, he kisses and hugs her tight. “I love you, too.”

She puts her hands on his chest and pushes him away. “You do?”

“I do.” He kisses her again.

Kpkpkpkp

After a quick breakfast with Annie and Finnick, they all head down stairs. Before they can get too far into the arena, Cashmere meets them in the hallway. She ignores Katniss like she did the day before. “What are you doing?” she demands.

Peeta scowls at her and says, “We need to go get ready for tonight and I need to go see the vendors. Why?”

Katniss can tell that the blonde is worried about something, but is trying to cover it up when she says, “Something happened last night.” She looks down, where she is actually ringing her hands. “I need your help,” she says meekly.

“What happened?” Katniss asks.

This time Cashmere acknowledges her. “Well, I let Cato and Clove play last night as a reward for doing so well for Portia and Cinna. Clove took her edge play a little too far, and well, now Cato is in the hospital.”

Peeta, Katniss, Annie and Finnick are speechless. “How bad is it?” Annie asks.

“He had to have a lot of stiches. But he’s still there because he’s dehydrated.” 

Finnick looks at his watch. “Are you supposed to be doing a seminar right now?”

Cashmere nods weakly. “That’s what I need help with.” 

“Just go ahead and say it already,” Katniss demands.

“I’m supposed to be doing a rough sex seminar. I need a man and a woman to be my models. Clove is currently in her kennel in the room as punishment and can’t come out for a while. Any volunteers?”

Katniss starts to turn away, but Peeta grabs her arm. “I owe her,” he whispers.

“What do you mean you owe her? What did she ever do for you?” she hisses back.

He lets go of her arm and runs his fingers though his curls with a sigh. “She helped me get some contracts for prints. Some really big ones. I’m going to help her out. Will you do it with me? I’ll go get your mask.” 

“We aren’t going to have actual sex in front of people are we?” 

“No. I’ve seen her do this before. She will use us to show different positions.” He kisses her on the nose. “It will be a good warm up for tonight.” 

Before she can say anything, he tells Cashmere yes. Katniss looks at Annie, who gives her a sympathetic shrug. “I would offer, but the doctor said that I have to start taking it easy.”

“No, I’ll do it. I mean as long as he is with me, I’ll be alright, won’t I?” 

Kpkpkpkp

She wonders why she agreed to do this, as she peeps from behind the curtain. There are almost a hundred people finding their seats. She fusses with the neckline of the red baby doll pajamas, glad that it comes with bottoms. She hears someone come up behind her, and they touch her waist. She whirls around quickly, and breathes a sigh of relief when she meets his Carolina blue eyes. He pulls her close, and she whispers, “I can't do this.”

He gently kisses her. “if I realized you are this cute wearing something like this, I would have bought you one two months ago and yes, you can do this.” He goes ahead and pulls out the red mask that he made for her and she puts it on her head. 

Cashmere rushes over to them. She ponders something as she looks them over. She walks over to her steamer trunks and digs through them for a moment before she brings him a pair of pajama pants. “There. Now at least you two will be cozy.” She winks and smirks at them. 

Katniss can't help but be in awe over Cashmere’s dress. She is wearing a 1950’s vintage halter neck, red polka dot dress. “I like your dress,” Katniss compliments her.

Cashmere gives her a small, genuine smile. “I know that this is your first time doing anything like this. And I appreciate you helping me when you don’t have to.” She looks at the clock backstage clock. “It’s about time. Peeta, go change and we will start, ok?”

“Is she being nice?” Katniss whispers.

He nudges her in the side. “This is her being nice.” He grabs the pajama pants and pulls Katniss into one of the changing rooms off of the side of the stage. 

The door clicks behind them, and he pulls is shirt off. Katniss drops to her knees. She looks up at him, and she knows that when she does that, it drives him crazy. She eases his shoes off, unbuttons his jeans, and tugs them down his legs. He steps out of them, and she is left with his obvious erection pointing at her through his boxers. It bobs up to meet her, and she rubs her nose on it before gently biting it through the fabric. She pulls his boxers down, when there is a knock on the door. They can hear Cashmere asking if they are in there. 

Katniss goes to the door, and opens it wide enough for her to slide out. “He’s getting dressed.”

Cashmere knocks on the door behind her again. “Hurry up Mellark! What is taking him so long?” Cashmere asks Katniss. 

The door flies open, and Peeta steps out in the red flannel bottoms. “Let’s go,” he says to the ladies. 

Kpkpkpkp

She lays on the bed, with her eyes closed against the bright lights above the stage. She feels the bed shift, and can feel the familiar weight of Peeta crawling over her. He cups her head, and she only opens her eyes when his shadow falls across her face, blocking the glare. Their eyes meet and she smiles. He kisses her nose. Only then does she realize that someone is talking, barely understandable over the pounding of her heart. 

“Just follow my lead.” He kisses her. She knows that others are watching, but she feels herself responding anyway.

He whispers, “Get up on your hands and knees,” before he sits back on his heels to give her room.

She rolls over and he grabs her roughly by the hips and pulls her against his hardness. He rubs against her entrance over her bottoms and she can’t help the moan that escapes. She knows that he hears when his fingers dig into her hips. His hand finds her unbound hair and he gives a sharp tug, like he loves to do to her. Even though he can't hear her groan, she knows that he can feel the vibrations travel through her body. 

She lets herself open her eyes, and, through her mask, she sees about a hundred people watching them. He startles her with a smack on her ass, and he grabs her around the middle and pulls her up right against him. His left hand is still in her hair, while his other hand grabs her breast. He roughly pinches her nipple and she almost comes right there. She sobs in frustration, and tries to turn her head so she can seek his lips, but he keeps his grip tight so she can't turn her head. 

“Don’t move,” he whispers, and with his right hand, he reaches for the belt hanging on the wrought iron bed frame. He lets go of her hair, and she can't believe that she misses the pressure. 

With both of his hands, he brings the belt back through the buckle, and then through again making a figure eight at the end of the belt. “Put your arms out,” he commands. She obeys, and he puts each one of her wrists through each one of the loops. He pulls it together, and the belt tightens, but not too tight. “I’m going to push you back down for a minute. Kick me if it gets to where you can't breathe, ok?” 

She nods and he helps her back down. He returns to where he most wants to be and pulls her arms through her legs with the belt. She gasps when she feels the pushing and pulling, wishing he was all the way inside of her. She thinks she hears the audience say, “Ahhhhh.” He helps her back up and takes the belt off. All she can do is feel him moving her through several different positions. And all she can do is want him so bad that she wants to drag him back stage and finally let him have his way with her.

Instead, Cashmere comes over, and motions her to the side. With an evil little grin at Peeta, Katniss finally starts to hear what she is saying into the mic clipped onto her dress. “Now ladies, don’t forget that it’s perfectly alright for us to be the boss.” She pulls a skein of rope off of the bed frame. Loosening it quickly, she finds the middle, wraps it around Peeta, and Katniss quickly recognizes the simple harness that he uses on her. Just it’s weird to see the harness on Peeta. 

Cashmere turns Peeta around, and shows the audience how she ties the knot in the back. Katniss watches Cashmere smirk to the audience, and pushes Peeta to the bed. Katniss tries to figure out what he is thinking, because she has never seen that particular look on his face. She is starting to wonder if that is his pissed-annoyed look when he meets her gaze. He motions for her to join him on the bed. Cashmere is still talking, so she steps towards the head of the bed. 

Cashmere turns to them, and her eyes flash when she sees where Katniss is. Peeta sits up, getting her attention. Katniss isn’t sure what passes between them, but Peeta motions for her to join him on the bed. 

He pulls her down onto his lap, and whispers, “Climb on top of me, and grab ahold of the rope.” And he lays down. She straddles him. They have never been in this position before, and Katniss wonders why not. He presses against her, and she grabs the rope that rests over his heart. 

“Now all I need is a cowgirl’s hat,” she says with a grin, and starts to rock back and forth on top of him. With the added leverage, and she can get quite a rhythm going.

Cashmere gets her attention and throws her another bundle of rope. “Tie his hands to the headboard,” Cashmere demands. Using some of the knots that she knows, she secures his hands to the wrought iron. She rides him some more. With a smile, she says, “We are going to have to do this again when there aren’t a hundred or so people watching.”

Cashmere gets her attention, and motions for her to stand. She then guides them through several more positions, causing Katniss and Peeta both to become even more hot and bothered. Soon, to her relief, Peeta is untied, and they rush off the stage leaving Cashmere to finish up with questions. 

Peeta doesn’t even give her time to change out of the baby doll pajamas. Instead, he leads her to the roped off area at the end of the coliseum. Katniss pulls him back before they can get to the guards who are standing there in black. “We don’t have our badges.”

He kisses her on the nose, and says, “We were just on stage. I think they will let us in.” He pulls her to the entrance. With a smile and a nod, they enter. 

Katniss isn’t sure what she expects, but it isn’t this. 

It looks like a Renaissance festival, but she is pretty sure that a festival wouldn’t have a masked man in black leather spanking a naked woman splayed across his lap, with what looks like a line of other naked people on leashes waiting their turn. In another corner there are other naked people hanging from support beams in various positions. Some are hanging from their hands and tied-together feet. Katniss realizes with a blush that she can see everywhere where the sun doesn’t shine as her grandmother Everdeen would have said. Oh crap, she thinks. Why is she thinking about her at a time like this? There are others hanging by their arms, and others hanging by their legs. 

On the other side of the curtained area, a man is tied to a couple of beams in an X-shape. Another man in black leather whips him. The man being whipped doesn’t say anything, but Katniss can almost see a smile on his face. 

Next is a naked woman, on her hands and knees, sitting on a table. Surrounding her are several men and woman feeling different parts of her body. Some are even licking and biting, while another inserts a dildo in her ass. 

She notices several women and men who are blindfolded and tied up with their hands above them but their feet are on the floor. They are naked as well. There are people there groping the blindfolded ones. There is even a woman with her skirt raised and her back to a man, bent over and runting as he fucks her. 

“What is this?” she whispers horrified. 

“This is the dungeon area. These are people who have volunteered, and where people have sent their slaves and pets to be punished.” 

Katniss looks around again, trying to figure out something, she just isn’t sure what. She whispers again, “why did you bring me in here?”

He squeezes her hand and pulls her towards the hallway. “I want to show you something.” 

“I don’t know if I want to see what you want to show me.” She tries not to panic, as she imagines herself being spanked on the man in black’s lap. Peeta pauses to speak to someone. She doesn’t really pay attention to what is going on around her, she just knows that she wants to hurry up and get out of there. She hears a murmur of affirmation, and Peeta drags her to a room across from them. 

He pulls her into one of meeting rooms that has been converted for the event, and slams the door behind them. Before she has a chance to take in her surroundings Peeta pulls her into his arms. “All you have to do is focus on me. You know that I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he murmurs in her ear. 

“But those people are being abused! I saw blood being drawn Peeta! Why would anyone want to do that to themselves?” she slowly gets louder the more she talks.

“We could ask all of them why, and they each have a different reason. Some of them are like me, and like to do ropes. Others like the control. I want you.” He grabs her hands and pulls her close, but not into a hug. “This is our relationship, not theirs. We make it what we want it to be. You know that I adore you, right?” He waits for her nod. “And I’m not going to hurt you. Do you trust me?”

She takes a deep breath and nods again. It’s then she allows herself to look around the room. She can't help the giggle that escapes when she see that somehow they have made it look like the inside of a luxury jet that James Bond would have flown around in, complete with cockpit with a view to the clouds, leather couches and a bar. “How in the world did they do this?”

Peeta shrugs. “They spend a lot of time planning for this. I didn’t know what was in here.” he throws his arm around her shoulders. “What do you want to do? Do you want to stay and explore? Or go rest for tonight?” 

She wiggles and her very wet panties remind her how turned on she was before Peeta brought her in here. She smirks and gives him a little push. “I think we can stay for a moment. Oh wait! Is it clean in here?” 

He returns her smirk and points to the wipes by the different pieces of furniture. “They like to keep it clean.”

She looks around again, and this time she sees what hangs up in the back of the plane. “Is that a sex swing?” she asks.

“I do believe it is.” He turns to her before they go over to it. “Are you ok? I’m sorry for scaring you like that.”

She steps into his arms, putting her own around his waist. “It was shocking. No matter how much we had talked about it, I still wasn’t prepared. I don’t think I like that part of the lifestyle. I like what we do: the ropes, and us.”

He tilts her head up for a kiss. “I was hoping that you still liked me after all that. Now have you ever been in sex swing before?”

Remembering how empowered it felt to be on top while on the stage, she grins and says back to him, “have you ever been in a sex swing before?”

“Hmmm… are you making a promise?”

She looks from him to the swing and looks at him. Without saying a word, she walks over to where some bundles of ropes are. She quickly makes a knot that she knows that will stay put and not tighten up like so many tend to do. Once she has a loop made, she places the loop around Peeta’s neck and gives him a pull. She watches him process what she is doing and worriedly asks him, “Are you ok?” 

“With you, always. Just be gentle.” 

She gestures towards the swing. “Go ahead and sit down. Honestly, have you ever used one before?”

He waits for her to look into his eyes, and he says, “I have never done any of the things that I do with you with anyone else. This is one of the more simple swings. Just tell me where you want my head.”

“I guess up?”

He takes off his pajama bottoms and slides into the swing. He is already half hard, and the sight of him waiting for her makes her even wetter. She slowly slides down the straps of the pajamas, and he watches her every move as she frees her breast to his gaze. She loves it when he licks his lips at the sight of them. 

She flips her hair over her shoulder and continues undressing for him. She doesn’t miss how he rubs himself, making himself harder for her. He groans when he can see her naked. Bolder than she has been with him before, she brings her hands up to her breasts and squeezes them to draw his attention. His movements increase, until she has to order, “Stop doing that.” 

He flushes red, starts to defend himself, but she climbs on top of him and says, “I’m about to give you something to do with that mouth.” and proceeds to climb on top of him. She loves the way he has always felt in between her legs, but this time, on top of him, it so wonderfully different. She leans down to press light kisses along his collar bone, and his hands find their home on her hips. He starts to push her down, so he can penetrate her, and she stops him with a touch. “Not yet, love. Can I lower your head?”

“Get up.” he softly says. She is still amazed that he is letting her take control. She climbs off of him, and he turns himself around, where his head is lower. Her eyes light up, satisfied that what she has thought of is going to be possible. 

She checks first to make sure that his head is supported. She loves the look of surprise he has before she straddles his face. She can't stop the moan when he starts sucking on her clit. She feel her knees give out, and she falls against his chest. She reaches for his cock while he licks her clit and fingers her, trying to make her come.

Pulling on him, somehow she gets him into her mouth. He stops what he is doing for a moment when she begins to deep throat him. She feels his chest vibrate under her when he returns her moans. 

She feels her orgasm building and she knows that he is getting ready to come too when he gets harder in her mouth. She makes a quick decision even though she has never done anything like it before. She starts bobbing her head faster and faster. He starts calling her name and pulling on her hips trying to dislodge her. Instead she latches on, sucking harder and harder. She hears him ask, “Are you sure?” All she can do is answer with a nod. 

Meanwhile, he sinks his fingers back inside of her, finding her g-spot. He tickles it and gently licks on her clit. In her endorphin-induced haze, she thinks they come at the same time. He fills up her mouth and she can only swallow part of it. She starts to sit up, but somehow he gets them both turned around so she is on top of him facing him again. 

“You taste so good,” she says, as she wipes his come off of her and licks her fingers. He grips her hips and groans at her every lick. He pulls her down so he can kiss her, their essences mingling. She doesn’t know how he does it, but she feels him getting hard again. “We need to go rest for tonight don’t we?” she questions.

With a disappointed sign, he says, “I guess we do. Do you want to go out the back way?”

“There is a back way?”

He kisses her nose. “There is always a back way.” They untangle themselves from the swing, wipe the swing down and find some robes from the hotel someone has tucked away in a corner. Peeta leads her down the hall, away from the play area to an elevator. 

Kpkpkpkp

This time when Katniss peaks out from behind the curtain, she knows that the hundreds of people are waiting on them. She is nervous but feels calm at the same time. Maybe already being on that stage twice has helped her after all. She just wishes she could wear more than her leather bikini bottoms and the robe Peeta had given her earlier. 

Peeta comes up behind her, puts his hands on her shoulders, and looks out onto the audience too. “There are a lot of them out there,” she whispers.

“There are, but I’m with you, remember?”

She nods at the same time that silly woman, Effie steps out onto the stage. “Welcome, welcome,” she begins. 

Peeta turns her around, first kissing her nose. That earns him a small, nervous smile. Next, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out her mask. “I thought about it, and I think you will like this. Just remember how much you love and trust me, ok?” he gives her time to nod when he is putting on her mask. Her hands fly up to her face.

“I can't see,” She says.

“It’s a blindfold.” This time he kisses her forehead. “This way, it will be just like it is at home in our studio.”

She reaches out and grabs his arm. “Yes, it might be better.” 

She feels him undoing her belt and takes in a deep calming breath. He slips the robe off her shoulders and she can feel the air conditioning against her bare skin making her nipples harden. She can't help the shiver and the goose bumps that follow. He takes her by the hand and leads her somewhere. 

She can hear the music that he picked out for them. All she can feel is his hands on her skin. He rubs her arm, and she can't help but to turn towards him. He positions her back the way he wants her and she hears the rope hit the floor. Soon, he has the rope wrapped around her, hugging her tight. His touch is gentle while he weaves her in her familiar binding. He crosses it in places and knots it in others. She loves the kisses that he leaves as his touch travels across her skin. She finally feels free enough to admit that she loves this feeling. 

He attaches the rope in the back, and she feels the tug, lifting her off of her feet. The absence of sight is sending her deep into her already endorphin- flooded brain, sending her off like a rocket into her easy, drunk feeling.

He secures her leg after wrapping it with a rope and then he pulls it up and she can feel him secure it. He doesn’t bind up her arms like he usually does, and for the first time this evening, she wishes she didn’t have the blindfold on. She wants to reach out and touch him, but she knows she shouldn’t. Then, as if he could read her mind somehow, he binds her hands to her neck. Taking her other leg and securing it to the rest of her, he opens her up, making her breasts point out even more, as if she is an offering for the taking. 

All is still for a moment. She feels the brush of his fingers on her inner thigh, and she wills herself to swing in his direction so he can touch her again. She finally realizes that the music has stopped. The audience is silent, and she wonders what is happening when all of a sudden, the force of their applause meets her. 

When all is quiet afterward, she can feel the swoosh of the closing curtains. His touch returns to her desire- heated skin. Ropes are loosened, and he catches her before she can even try to stand. He eases her down and she can feel someone else helping him take the ropes off. She reaches up to get the mask, when someone takes it off for her. Blinking against the bright lights of backstage, she sees Annie holding her head while Peeta and Finnick remove and coil the ropes. Annie offers her a bottle of water, and Katniss sips gratefully. 

“We can get it from here,” Finnick says. “You need to get her in the hot tub upstairs. Aftercare, man, aftercare.” 

Without a word, Peeta wraps her in a robe and carries her to the service elevator. Katniss snuggles against him, wishing that he could touch her some more. She must have said that out loud because the chuckle that she loves vibrates against her. 

The doors open on their floor and the same boys that met them the night before are there again. Katniss giggling when she sees them. “Hi, boys! This time we didn’t have sex in there, but we had better when we get into our room.”

“Sorry about that. She has had too much to drink tonight,” Peeta explains her drunk behavior even though she hasn’t had a drop. “Katniss, can you stand up for just a moment so I can open the door?”

She can't really feel her legs, but she nods anyway. One of the young men steps forward and nervously asks, “Can I help?” 

“Yeah, you wouldn’t happen to have a master key card would you?”

“I do.” And he comes forward and unlocks their door. 

“Thanks man. Stay right here, ok?”

Peeta walks in, and goes into the bedroom. He sits her down on their bed, and gets his wallet. She lays down while he disappears. Her eyes close and she enjoys the buzzing feeling through her brain. She hears him come back to her and with, half-lidded eyes, she watches him approach the bed. She holds out her hand and he sits on the bed beside her, kissing her palm as he sits down. “How about a hot bath?”

“In the big bathtub? Can we have bubbles? And maybe a snack?” she asks hopefully.

With a tired smile, he answers, “Of course.”

She hears him start the water, and she struggles to sit up. She hears him in the living area doing something, so she slowly stands up and starts for the bathroom. It takes her just a moment before she lowers herself into the tub, easing her sore, tired muscles into the water. She hears him turn on the stereo, and smiles when it’s a classic 80’s station. 

Peeta comes in with a tray of snacks and some bottled water for both of them. “Are you going to join me?” Katniss asks.

“Yes.” He sets the food down and takes off his jeans. He eases in behind her and just simply holds her. They sit, not saying a word. Katniss starts to softly sing along with the radio. 

Like a candle burning bright  
Love is glowing in your eyes  
A flame to light our way  
That burns brighter everyday  
But now I have you  
Nobody loves me like you do

 

Like a leaf upon the wind  
I could find no place to land  
I dreamed the hours away  
And wondered everyday  
Do dreams come true

Nobody loves me like you do

What if I'd never met you  
Where would I be right now  
Funny how life just falls in place somehow  
You've touched my heart in places that I never even knew  
Cause nobody loves me like you do

When she finishes, she turns to Peeta and says with tears in her eyes, “you can make excuses about how I’m in subspace of whatever. But I love you, Peeta.” He kisses her, but she continues, “I didn’t think I needed anyone the way I need you.” 

“I love you, too.” He pulls her flush against him and she lays her head on his chest. “You’re mine, kitten. And I’m not going anywhere.” 

kpkpkpkpkpkp

I know, I know, there could have been more kink. But once I started thinking about it, Katniss wouldn’t have been there looking at every little thing that was happening. She would have been shocked, embarrassed, and would want to get the hell out of there. So they did. She likes what she and Peeta are doing, and for now, that is as far as she goes. I hope you enjoyed it!! and I don’t own anything… inc, the song, “No One Loves Me Like You Do’  
And I leave you with a beautiful quote that I found the other day…

For a submissive, being able to trust someone so deeply that you are willing to literally put your life in their hands is very romantic. And for a dominant, having someone in your life who is willing to give you that kind of trust can be profoundly moving. Trust and romance have always been deeply intertwined and in that respect bdsm is no different from marriage (insert "ball and chain" joke here).


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine’s Day weekend!!!! 
> 
> I hope that wherever you are, you are warm and toasty today!!
> 
> I need to thank Norbertsmom for her wonderful beta-ing skills with this one. And you my dear reader, thank you always for reading!!

As they make their way past rows and rows of cars in the airport parking lot, Peeta throws his arm around Katniss’ shoulder. He pulls her into his side, but his arm slips off her shoulder and wraps around her neck. What was intended to be a romantic gesture becomes an awkward choke hold instead, leaving them both laughing. “What are you doing?” Katniss grumbles half-heartedly into his chest. 

“I was trying to hug you.” He explains when they finally reach his truck, kissing her on the nose before releasing her. When she hears the lock click, Katniss playfully pushes Peeta away before running to her side of the vehicle and hops in, closing the door behind her. 

When Peeta slides into the truck a moment later, Katniss asks, “Where is my bag?”

He pulls out of the parking spot before he answers, “You didn’t get it?”

She frantically looks around and smacks his arm when she sees her carry on in the bed of the truck. “Where are we going?” she asks trying to sound nonchalant about it. After everything that happened this weekend, she isn’t ready to leave him. She isn’t sure she ever will be. 

She sees him glance at her out of the corner of his eye. He reaches for her hand, he pulls and she scoots until she is next to him, almost in his lap. He tucks his hand in between her thighs. “I thought we would go to the studio first, let me get some clean clothes. Then, I thought we could go to your house, let me fix us something to eat.” He squeezes her thigh and grins. “Then I thought we could fall into the bed and make love all night so tomorrow Haymitch will wonder why you are walking funny.” 

His reply leaves her weak kneed, breathless and very wet all at once. All she can do is answer, “Ok.”

He chuckles at her. 

Kpkpkpkp  
Peeta is fastening his jeans and Katniss is putting on her bra the next morning when the doorbell rings. “It’s not even eight o’clock,” she says. “Who is that?”

Peeta grabs his shirt and starts for the door, “I’ll get it.”

She answers, “thank you,” after him. She grabs the first thing she gets ahold of and smiles to herself when it’s her favorite deep green sweater. Perfect for this fall day, she thinks. She pulls it on, and hurries down stairs. 

Peeta is standing there closing the door and holding a big box with a weird grin on his face. “Guess who this is from?”

“Who?”

He pulls a card off of the front of the box and hands it to her. “It seems that Cashmere sent us a thank you present.” 

She opens the card, and it’s a generic thank you card that she signed with a simple “C”.

“Oh that’s nice. Why do you have that weird grin on your face though?”

He sets the box down on the table and reaches into his pocket for his knife. He slices through the tape, and packing peanuts is the first thing Katniss sees. He reaches into the peanuts and the first thing he reaches is the baby doll nightie she wore. He hands it to her with a smile. He reaches again down into the peanuts and smirks as he pulls out a huge, bright pink dildo. He sets it on the table, rummages around inside the box again before pulling out a pack of butt plugs in four different sizes. 

Katniss can feel her cheeks glowing bright red. “That is a hell of a thank you present,” she says as Peeta throws a purple whip at her. She catches it and then quickly sets it on the table. By the time Peeta has emptied the box, there are several different dildos, plugs, gags, blind folds, whips and paddles. Katniss holds up a small chain with what looks like a pair of rubber tipped tweezers on the end of it. “What is this?”

Peeta chokes on the tea he is sipping. In between coughs, he says, “Come here and I’ll show you.”

“Just tell me, I’ll be late for work.”

“Well it’s a good thing that you know the owners.” 

She goes to him anyway, carrying the chain. He sets his mug down on the counter and when she is within reach, he pulls her to him. He reaches for the hem of her sweater and starts to ease it up. She pushes his hands off. “What are you doing?”

“I’m showing you what these are for. Now be still,” he silences her, with that same tone he uses when he is tying her up. She looks up at him and a wave of desire washes over her. He eases the sweater off of her, and she shivers slightly. “Are you cold?” he whispers teasingly, as he reaches for the clasp of her bra that rests in between her breasts. 

She doesn’t say anything, but only whimpers when he undoes her bra. He simply pushes the cups aside and stops to admire her for a moment. She can feel her nipples harden under his gaze, and when he licks her left one, she can't keep her hands out of his curls. She starts to pull him closer so he can take more of her into his mouth, but he shakes his head at her as he straightens up. 

Peeta then places one of the tweezers on one of her nipples. Katniss watches him, instead of what he is doing, so when the contraption starts to tighten up, she looks down to see what he is doing to her. He takes her other nipple in his mouth, making it even harder than its twin. He then puts the tweezers that are left on that nipple. 

She raises her silver eyes to his face, meeting his Carolina blue ones and gasps. The weight of the chain causes a tug on her nipples and all she can say is, “Oh dear God, Peeta. That feels—“

He kisses her nose. “Amazing, doesn’t it?”

“I need you,” She says.

“I thought you were late for work,” he smirks.

She claims his lips. After a long needy kiss, she whispers, “It’s a good thing that I’m getting ready to fuck one of the owners then.” 

He answers her with a tug on the chain hanging in between her breasts and she moans into his mouth. He releases the button on her jeans, and she wiggles to help him and he pulls them down. Her hands are on his jeans pushing them down enough so she can get to his dick. She pulls him out of his boxers, and he grows in her hand. “Where do you want me?” 

He doesn’t say anything, and lifts her up on the counter. She is already so wet, he slides right in. He is gentle at first, until he can get the chain in his mouth. Then he pulls the chain tight and starts to pump faster and faster, until they come together with a shout. 

Kpkpkpkp

“What was it like?” Madge asks.

Katniss smirks. “You wouldn’t believe me if you tried.”

“Tell me what happened! Please!” Madge begs. 

Katniss spears another piece of lettuce. “It was amazing really. There were a couple of parts that were too weird for me. I know this sounds bad or whatever, but because of the Show, I feel closer to Peeta.”

Madge cracks a grin. “Yeah, you’re just saying that because of the sex swing.” 

“How did you find out about that?” Katniss whispers so that no one else in the diner would hear them. 

“There was a sex swing?” Madge squeals.

“Shhh!” Katniss looks around to see if anyone was paying them attention. No one else was even looking at them. “Yes, there was a swing,” she whispers. Before she can say anything else, her phone rings the silly ringtone Prim picked out the last time she was home. 

“Hello?”

“Hey sis. Listen, I have some news,” Prim says.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to work Thanksgiving, and all weekend.”

“Oh, wow. Do you want me to come visit? We can go out and find a diner or something that will have Thanksgiving dinner.”

“No Katniss. I’ll be fine. I’ll probably be at the hospital the entire time. This is what I signed up for, remember?”

“Yeah, I know. Well, hopefully you won’t have to work Christmas.”

Prim laughs. “Hopefully I won’t have to.” Katniss can hear someone talking in the background. “I’ve got to go. I’m in the ER—“

“Go. Call me later.”

“Bye.”

Madge reaches out and grabs her hand. “You are always welcome at my house.” 

“Thank you. I might take you up on that.”

“What about Peeta?”

“Oh, I don’t know. He hasn’t mentioned it.” Katniss looks down to fiddle with her napkin in her lap. 

“Well, you are both welcome,” Madge offers. The waitress comes by with the check and Katniss reaches into her purse. “I told you, my treat.”

“I can at least leave the tip.” Katniss reaches in, aiming for her wallet but grabs what feels like a make-up mirror, but she hasn’t carried a make-up mirror since Prim took her years ago. “Oh shit.”

“Are those your pills?” Madge asks.

“Shhh! Not so loud.” She whispers as she opens them up. She can feel herself hyperventilating when she sees that she hasn’t taken a pill since Thursday. “Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck me.” she drops the package on the table and hangs her head in her hands. 

Madge picks them up and notices that there are pills in the package that Katniss should have taken. She reaches out and grabs Katniss’ arm. “What I would do is don’t take anymore. After you’ve had your period, start next month like you usually do. It will be ok.” 

“You think so?” she asks, wanting to hear her friend say that it will be ok. 

“It will be,” Madge says confidently. “Are you going to tell Peeta?”

Katniss nods and takes a drink of her tea willing her stomach to stop rolling. “I will when I start. I mean I just forgot. It’s not a big deal, is it?”

“Yeah, you’ll be fine.” Madge tries to reassure her. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss arrives at the studio after work and Peeta can see that something is troubling her. “What’s wrong?”

She goes to him, and he envelops her in his arms. “You feel good.” Her breath catches on a sob.

“What happened today?” he asks worried. She decides then that she will tell him about the pills later. 

“Prim called and said that she isn’t coming home for Thanksgiving.”

“I hate to hear that. I guess you aren’t ok?”

“I am though.” She pulls away to wipe her tears away. “I’m just so proud of her for making it this far. She is going to make a great doctor one day and I know that working holidays is part of it. I think I wasn’t expecting it to happen now.”

He pulls her back to him. “Well, since you don’t have any plans, will you spend Thanksgiving with me?”

“I’d love to,” she replies. “Do you want to invite Annie and Finnick to join us?”

“Actually, I was going to ask you to spend it with me whether or not Prim was coming home. It seems that we’ve been invited to a wedding.”

“A wedding? Who is getting married?” 

“Annie and Finnick.” 

Kpkpkpkp

“You know, when you said that Grandma Mags lived at the beach, I figured she would live at a nice quiet beach on the outer banks. Not Myrtle Beach,” Katniss says.

Peeta shrugs. “It’s where they always went on vacation. When his grandpa retired, the first thing they did was to buy the house. You’ll like it.”

She lays her head on his shoulder as he drives down the dark highway. “I like the beach. We used to go all the time when Prim and I were little. Are all the campgrounds still down here?”

“Yeah, the house is actually beside them. Is that where you would stay?”

She nods against his shoulder. “We would rent a cabin. I’ve never been there this time of year.”

“Well I don’t think we can go jump in the ocean.”

“Oh why ever not?” she answers teasingly.

He chuckles. “I’ll throw you in.”

She pinches his inner thigh. “You better not.”

He puts his hand on top of hers on his thigh. She looks up at his face, illuminated by the dashboard. She can see a smile forming on his perfect lips, bringing out the dimple that she loves to kiss. His eyes sparkle with mischief as he pulls her hand closer to his hardness. She knows, that as long as she lives, she will never forget this moment. She squeezes his thigh, and whispers, “I love you.”

He glances at her in surprise. He returns his eyes back to the road. “I love you too.”

She lays her head on his shoulder and watches the lights of the other cars and trucks pass them by. She must have dozed off, because the beeping ignition wakes her up when he turns the truck off. “We’re here.” 

She straightens up and looks out the window. Annie and Finnick are walking down the softly lit walkway from the beach house to greet them. 

With a flurry of activity, the men carry the luggage into the house while Katniss walks with Annie. “Am I in the same room as Peeta?”

“Grandma Mags hasn’t been upstairs in years. She has bad hips, so her bedroom is downstairs, and we will all be upstairs,” Annie reassures her. 

“But, she doesn’t know about the rope stuff, right?”

“No. we have kept it from her. She knows that Peeta does some kind of art, and she knows that you are his girlfriend. I don’t know if you know this, but she actually gave the boys the money for the brewery.” Annie hooks her arms through Katniss’. “Come on, you will love her.”

The girls, no sooner get in the door, then a little old lady with a kind smile grabs Katniss and sweeps her into a big hug. “You must be Katniss! I have heard so much about you. My name is Mags, but please, call me Grandma Mags. Come in, come in and make yourself at home.”

She steps into the beautiful living room. It’s simple in its design of white-washed boards, floral fabrics and several beautiful paintings on every wall. Katniss can't help but to love the way it feels like home. She turns back to Grandma Mags. “I love your house.” 

Mags smiles. “Peeta will show you the rest of it.” she looks to Peeta, and says, “Go ahead and take your stuff upstairs. I had Annie fix the pink room for Katniss.”

Peeta picks up the bags and Katniss follows him upstairs. There is a sitting area at the top of the stairs with even more paintings and a couple of doors leading off of it. Peeta goes to the second door and walks in, while Katniss looks out to the sea through the picture window. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Peeta says coming up behind her.

“I can't wait to see it in the morning. Where did you go?”

“Come on, this is my room when I’m here.”

“Where is the pink room?” she asks.

“You’re not going to sleep with me?” he says sticking out his lower lip in a pout like a little boy. “I might get lonely in here all by myself.”

She swats his arm. “I want to see it so if she asks me, I won’t be lying to her about it.”

“It’s that room,” he says, pointing to a dark doorway.

Katniss walks into the room and turns on the light. It’s a simple room with a full bed, and more white washed walls. But what gets Katniss’ attention are the books. On three of the walls, from floor to ceiling are hundreds, maybe thousands of books. And a window seat where Katniss knows she could spend hours reading. “Why is it called the pink room?”

“The quilt, the curtains and the rug are all pink.” Finnick says behind them. “Are you going to stay in here?”

“I love this room. Let’s stay in here.” 

“Are you sure? The bed in the other room is bigger,” Peeta says.

This time Katniss is the one pouting. “You mean this,” she gestures to the bed behind her, “is going to be too small for you? You don’t want to cuddle with me all night long?” With a growl, he grabs her by the hips and pulls her flush against him. He leans in to kiss her, and she pulls back with a smile and she says, “Let’s sleep in here tonight. If it’s too bad, then we’ll go to the other room. We are here for four nights after all. ” 

This time, she lets him kiss her. “You mean you haven’t figured it out yet? Where ever you may be, that is where I want to be too. And that includes the pink room. It is cozy, isn’t it?”

“Enough with the mushy crap,” Finnick says. “Come on, we have soup and sandwiches waiting on you.” 

“What kind of soup?” Peeta asks.

“You know what kind. She only makes it when you are coming.” Finnick turns to Katniss. “Grandma only makes her homemade tomato soup when Peeta is coming to visit.”

“Come on then, I’m starving,” Katniss says.

They make their way down stairs to the kitchen where Annie is flipping grilled cheese sandwiches on the griddle and Mags is stirring something that smells divine in a pot on the stove. Finnick motions for them to sit down at the island where there are two places set. As soon as they are sitting, Finnick is setting earthen ware bowls in front of them. Katniss’ stomach growls its thanks making her blush and everyone else laugh. 

Peeta and Katniss start to eat while the conservation continues around them. Katniss can't help but to smile, and feel a little melancholy at the same time. Since her parents died, she hasn’t felt like she belonged anywhere. Now, here she sits with people she has only known for a couple of months, and it feels like she has been here for years. Peeta catches her eye and smiles a smile that helps her to know that she has found her way home. 

Kpkpkpkp

She wakes up with his arms wrapped around her. It’s still dark, but she can see the sun starting to make its appearance. She eases out from under Peeta, and goes quickly to the bathroom. When she comes back into the room, he has moved to the center of the bed. She says to herself, “I guess he’s missing his king sized bed.” She looks around the room and sees the throw on the window seat.

She pulls the throw around her, arranges the pillows and sits down amongst them. The dark blues of the sky make way for the oranges and yellows welcoming the sun to this sleepy part of the world. Right before the burning ball of fire appears, Peeta is behind her with the bigger blanket from the bed. She scoots her legs over but instead of sitting down beside her, he scoots in behind her, pulling her onto his lap, cocooning them in the bigger blanket. They quickly get comfortable as they watch the rest of the sunrise. 

“I need to paint you like this,” he whispers.

“You paint too?”

“All the paintings in the house are mine.” He takes a deep breath, and she can hear the hurt that creeps into his voice when he continues. “After everything happened, she offered to help me. I refused of course. She found out that I painted, and she offered to buy what I had, and commissioned more. She wanted me to paint a portrait of Annie and Finnick but I told her that I didn’t have time. It’s almost done and I’m hoping to be able to give it to her for Christmas.” 

“She will like that.” 

“I can't believe that you are here with me,” Peeta sighs.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“After Dad refused to talk to me anymore, these people became my family. They are all I have left, except for you.” He lifts her chin and the kiss starts off easy, but with the emotions he just admitted, his kiss turns possessive. 

He picks her up, and turns her around so she is straddling him. He stills with his hands on her hips. She looks into his eyes, and can tell that he is thinking something but before she has a chance to ask, he claims her lips again. Her fingers intertwine through his sleepy curls. 

With her legs around his waist, Peeta stands up and carries Katniss back to the antique wrought iron bed. He gently lays her down and takes off her underwear. He quickly removes his boxers, and starts to join her on the bed. She has a fleeing thought about asking him to put on a condom, but his kisses chase that away. 

Kpkpkpkp

There are so many people buzzing around the kitchen, following Mags’ orders as they help prepare the Thanksgiving feast. Katniss can hardly remember who she was introduced to because it seems that Finnick’s entire family is here with all of their friends. There is even his cousin, Dalton Rice, who came all the way from Kansas. He will be preforming the wedding ceremony tomorrow. 

Katniss is busy peeling potatoes, when she hears Finnick calling everyone out onto the huge porch overlooking the sea. She’s the last to arrive and she knows by now that when he has that goofy grin on his face that is he excited about something. 

She has a moment to wonder when did he change into his dress slacks and button up shirt when he is announcing, “Hi.” Finnick greets his family from on top of the storage locker Mags has on the porch for her cushions.

Everyone answers him at the same time, “Hi.” Then one of his very tall cousins who is training to be in the next Olympics hollers back at him, “Is it time to eat yet?”

Mags steps beside Finnick so she can hush her other grandson, “Ryan, I told you, we will eat in a little bit. Listen to Finnick.”

“But, Grandma I’m hungry,” he whines.

“Honey, I will feed you in a minute. Now listen,” Mags tells him. 

Everyone laughs, then Finnick continues, “Since everyone is here, and we already have the marriage certificate, Annie and I are going to go ahead and get married today while we wait on the turkey to finish.”

His family claps their approval and Katniss notices that Annie changed into the lace dress Finnick had given her in Vegas. 

Finnick grabs Annie’s hand and they walk bare footed down to the beach with everyone following them. Katniss catches up to Peeta, and slides her hand into his. 

There are probably about fifty of them gathered, with Ryan helping grandma up to the front so she can see. Peeta gives Katniss his camera bag, and she follows him as he starts to snap pictures of the extended Odair family. Dalton’s calm mid-western accent draws his family into the service as he tells a story of when he first met Annie. 

Its simple words, really, as they promise each other the rest of their lives. Katniss doesn't miss that she and Annie wipe their eyes at the same time when Finnick recites a poem that he had written just for today.

Dalton declares them husband and wife and the family cheers. Finnick kisses Annie in a sweet kiss. 

Katniss glances at Peeta out of the corner of her eye and he is wiping away tears too. He pulls her to him, and tucks her into his side. She in turn wraps her arms around him. 

Everyone lingers on the beach, the family offering hugs and kisses to Finnick and Annie, while Katniss helps Peeta take pictures of everything and everyone. 

With a flurry of activity, Mags manages to get everyone fed, the dishes washed, and everyone out the door on their way home.

Mags breathes a sigh of relief when she hears the door close for the last time. “Children, I’m going to my room. Finnick, Annie, congratulations. Katniss, Peeta, I’ll see you later.” 

“The sun is just now starting to set,” Finnick protests.

Mags turns and says, “I didn’t say I was going to bed. I’m going to my room for a little while. I am an old woman who has been awake and on my feet and I’m going to go read my book and put my feet up.”

They watch her disappear into her room. The friends look at each other for a moment, then at the same time, Peeta and Finnick both say, “Let’s go to the beach.” 

“I’m going to change first,” Annie decided. “Come on Katniss. We need to change clothes.” 

Finnick looks down at his button up shirt and dress pants. “Come on, Peet. We all need to change clothes.”

They all race upstairs. Katniss follows Peeta into the pink room. “You want warm clothes,” Peeta warns. 

“Why?”

“It’s usually chilly when the sun goes down. We won’t be long anyways.”

They hear Finnick and Annie already downstairs. “Let’s go build a bon fire,” Finnick says.

They each grab an arm full of wood, and go to the beach. The men dig a shallow hole, and then get a fire going. Peeta grabs Katniss and pulls her down to sit beside him on the sand. Enjoying the conversation, Katniss feels like she has come home. 

Kpkpkpkp  
Oh the fluff!! I thought I would give a wedding for Valentine’s day!! Yeah, I know it’s a Odesta one! Let me know what you think ;)!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here ya’ go!! 
> 
> Can I just take a moment to thank some wonderful ladies? First sohypothetically needs a hug, a bottle of wine and carbs. And send her some wishes… she is finishing up her WIP. Then thank you Dee for your insight. And my lovely pumpkin king. Thank you sweetie!! And my friend miss. She still thinks we are crazy but she will read something for me really quick (except for smut. Anything but that…) and her input was much appreciated this time.

Finnick sweeps Annie away on a dream honeymoon and doesn’t tell anyone where they are going. Katniss, in order to help Peeta out, works at the studio besides the brewery for the next week. Both places are so busy with Christmas coming that Katniss spends most nights at the studio wrapped up in his arms. 

The first Saturday in December finds them at the one place that Katniss would rather not be. The mall. 

“You know shopping on Amazon is looking better and better,” she complains. 

Peeta smiles wistfully as a family with three little ones passes by. The youngest is adorable at six months old. “It’s ok right now. I don’t know if I want to come back until after Christmas—“

“I know I’m not coming back until after New Year’s. Let’s go to the uniform shop and get Prim some scrubs and I need to find something for you.”

He throws his arm around her and kisses her temple. “I have everything I want for Christmas already. Maybe get a new nightie like you wore in Vegas and I’ll be a happy man.”

Katniss grins at him. “That’s all it takes to make you happy? Me in a baby doll nightie?”

His whispers makes her quiver in all the right places, “And maybe a little bit of rope.”  
“I think that can be arranged.” And she pulls him into Dillard’s. 

Kpkpkpkp

They are on the way back to Katniss’ house when Peeta’s phone rings. While he answers his, hers rings with a text message. 

Madge: Don’t forget! The parade is tonight. You have to come throw candy with me.

Katniss: Oh crud, I forgot. What time am I supposed to meet you? And where?

Madge: I knew you would forget. You’ve been out of the office too much this week. Be at the parking lot at six. The parade starts at seven. Bring boss number two with you. This is his company too.

Katniss: Oh trust me, if I have to throw candy at hyper children waiting for Santa, then he is too. 

Madge: Lol! I’ll see you then.

She sets her phone down and says, “That was Madge.”

While at the same time he hangs up and says, “That was Finnick.”

He chuckles and says, “you first.”

“That was Madge. We are supposed to be in the parade tonight on the trailer from the brewery.”

“Oh crap. I forgot about that,” he admits.

“I did too. Finnick called?”

He nods. “They just got back.”

“Oh good. I guess they are too tired to ride on the trailer too?”

“Yeah, probably. Besides, Grandma Mags is with them.”

“She is? Oh, did she come home with them for Christmas?” Katniss asks excitedly. 

“Yes, and for the baby.”

“That’s good.” Katniss notices a passing grocery store. “Stop here.”

“What for?” he asks.

“We need to grab something to eat and buy some candy. Is this your first parade?” He nods as he looks for a parking spot. “There are kids lining both sides of the street for three miles and they are greedy little boogers.”

He laughs at her. “They are kids and candy. Of course they are boogers.” He grabs her hand as they cross the parking lot. “Why didn’t we help with the float?” 

“There isn’t a float. They threw some hay bales on one of Gale’s trailers and he is pulling it. There are only a couple of people who have kids, so it’s mostly adults but we will have lots and lots of candy.” They clean out the hard candy in the junk food aisle, grab sandwich stuff and pay for their purchases. Soon they are out the door.

Kpkpkpkp

For winter to only be two weeks away, it isn’t too cold. But it is chilly enough for everyone to be bundled up in their hats, gloves and scarves. Katniss can feel the Christmas excitement in the air as they line up for the parade. 

“It’s been years since I’ve seen a parade, much less been in one,” Peeta admits. 

Katniss staples the silver bow to the wooden slat Gale used to build sides to the trailer so that no one will fall off. “I was in it every year in school.”

“Did you play sports?”

Katniss squeezes the handle of the stapler. I was in the band.”

Peeta watches her for a moment while she straightens the lights. “You played the flute, didn’t you?”

She wrinkles her nose at him. “No. Those girls were too—“

“Ditzy?”

“No, not at all. Madge played the flute.” 

Madge pokes her head up from the other side of the trailer where she is attaching bows and tinsel. “Who said my name?”

“I did. Peeta asked if I played the flute.”

Madge cracks up. “No, we talked entirely too much for her. She was one of those too-cool saxophone players.”

“You played the sax?” Peeta asks.

Katniss can hear the disbelief in his voice so she throws a bow at him. “And what did you do in high school? Hang out with the art kids?” 

Peeta chuckles at this. “I didn’t know the art kids were a group?” 

“Oh you know,” Katniss says, “they are the ones who can't play an instrument so they don't hang out with the band brats, and they can't throw a ball. So they hang out in the art room.”

This time it’s Peeta who throws a bow at her. “I took art and I wrestled. I think I need to show you some of my moves.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at her.

Katniss and Madge both burst out laughing. Gale comes over and joins their little group, sending puzzled glances from one girl to the other. Finally, Peeta clues him in, “it’s nothing. We are reliving high school memories.”

“Those two are evil. Don’t let their cuteness fool you,” Gale accuses. 

“You think we are cute?” Madge asks.

Katniss says with a scowl, “We are not evil.”

“You don’t remember the band trip, do you?” Katniss shakes her head at him trying to warn him to stop, but Gale continues anyway. “Our little high school band would take a band trip every four years. By the time I was a senior and these two were freshman, the school board decided that the trip had to be educational. We went to Graceland. One evening we went to a mall to walk around and eat. You know how malls have an upstairs and a downstairs, and the middle is open?” He waits for Peeta to nod. “I was standing there talking to some people when I was shot with a water gun. I looked up and there they were with one of those super-soakers.”

Madge giggles and holds up her hand. “You were just standing there! Besides the guy in the toy store wanted us to see how far it would shoot.”

Katniss adds, “We ended up selling all of the store’s water guns that evening. He gave us the super soaker for getting all of our friends to help.”

“How is that being evil? We were helping that poor little toy store,” Madge says with a wink to Katniss. 

Gale throws his arm around Madge and pulls her into his side, putting her into a headlock. “You were evil because you soaked me in the mall, and then when we got back to the hotel—“

“We had a water gun fight,” Madge finishes for him. She starts backing up, trying to get away from him, while he advances to tickle her. It’s only one of the parade organizers announcing that it’s time to start that saves Madge. 

Gale gets into the truck, while a couple of the other employees and their kids climb onto the trailer. There is still plenty of room so Peeta raises an eyebrow and motions to the trailer. She climbs on, and before she has a chance to get comfortable, Posy Hawthorne, Gale’s little sister comes running out of nowhere and jumps on the trailer. 

“Posy! I told you to call me if you were going to ride with us!” Madge fusses at her. 

“You didn’t answer the phone. Besides you didn’t tell me Katniss was riding,” Posy says as she plops down beside Katniss and gives her a hug.

Katniss returns it and asks, “Do you know Peeta?”

Posy shakes her head. “I’m Posy.” Peeta takes her outstretched hand. “You better take care of her, she is like my big sister to me.”

Katniss elbows Posy. “You behave. Why aren’t you riding with the cheerleaders?”

“Madge didn’t tell you?”

“Shoot I forgot,” Madge admits. 

“What happened?” Katniss asks.

“They pissed me off. They were saying things about Gale and Madge and you. When I told them that it wasn’t true, then one of them called me a stupid bitch—“

“Posy, you didn’t tell me that,” Madge says with worry in her voice.

“You would have told Mama,” Posy defends herself. 

“What else happened?” Katniss asks. 

“Nothing really. I said something back, then coach kicked me off.” Katniss is about to interrupt her but the girl continues, “Besides, its basketball cheerleading now and it’s stupid. Not like football. This will give me a chance to focus on dance.”

Katniss wraps her arm around Posy. “Are you sure you’re alright?” she whispers.

Posy nods and reaches for a piece of candy. “Ms. Jill, my ballet teacher, said that I could try out for School of the Arts in Raleigh. Since I just turned sixteen, I could finish out the next two years of high school there and have a lot of dance experience to go with it.”

“Is that what you want?” Peeta asks.

Katniss doesn’t miss the way Posy’s eyes light up when she answers, “I would love it.”

“Well then, I think you should go for it. Call Katniss if you need head shots or audition tapes. I can help you with all of that.”

Posy, only because they are still waiting for the parade to start, jumps up and gives Peeta a hug. “Thank you! Those were the things that had me stumped. I had no idea who to call. Could we maybe do it next week?” 

“I don’t see why not.” They all hang on as Gale pulls forward into the parade route. They creep along slowly as Peeta says, “I’ll be at Katniss’ tomorrow. Can you come by?”

“Of course.” And Posy throws her arms around his neck again. She let’s go so she can throw candy and talk to the other people on the trailer. 

Katniss leans her head on Peeta’s shoulder and whispers, “Thank you. That is all she’s talked about when she found out about the school.”

“Have the other girls been bullying her?”

Katniss shrugs. “I didn’t think they were but I guess so. Getting to go to the School of the Arts would be wonderful. And she would be close to Prim.”

Peeta kisses her on the nose. “If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me.” They snuggle together and throw candy at the waiting kids.

Kpkpkpkp

Finnick is back to work on Monday, both at the studio and at the brewery. Katniss still hasn’t figured out what he does at either place, she just knows that he and Haymitch spend a lot of time talking in Haymitch’s office. 

Peeta told her to meet him at the studio right after work, but on his way to Haymitch’s office, Finnick stops by her office. “Peeta needs you sooner. The buyers want the prints as soon as possible. When can you leave?”

Katniss looks around her desk at the papers Madge dropped off earlier. “Does he need me right now?”

Finnick nods. “Actually he does. Come on, let’s go tell Haymitch.” 

Katniss joins him and together they walk down the hallway. She wonders, “Does he know about the ropes?”

Finnick looks nervous when he answers, “He was asking why you came by the studio that day. Don’t worry, he knows how to keep a secret. He won’t tell anyone.” 

They are at Haymitch’s doorway and Katniss tries to swallow her nerves. “I wish I hadn’t asked now.”

Haymitch looks up from his paperwork and waves them in. Finnick begins, “Peeta needs Katniss at the studio today. We had a last minute Christmas order for an original print. How much longer do you need her?”

“All I really need are the warehouse totals entered. Is Undersee busy?”

“I just got finished with the totals. Is there anything else you need me to do?” Katniss asks.

She doesn’t miss the look that Haymitch and Finnick exchange. “No, you’re free to go. Tell the boy that I might come by after a while.” 

“Can you call first? You know, just in case,” Katniss says.

Haymitch nods. “Go then. I’ll see you later.”

Katniss nods. She is just entering her office when Madge walks in behind her. “Hey, I’ve got to go.” Katniss says.

“Where to?” 

“The studio. I got the totals done and in the computer. So you won’t have to do any extra work.”

Madge looks at her skeptically, “Aren’t we supposed to get started on the Christmas stuff?”

Before Katniss can say anything, Finnick comes back with Annie following behind. “Madge, just the lady I need. Can you come with us and show us how you do the warehouse count? Katniss, I’ll see you after while, ok?”

Madge shoots her a quizzical look when neither Finnick nor Annie are looking. Katniss shrugs just as Annie is interrupted by Peeta’s ring on her cell. By now, Finnick and Annie recognize the ringtone and wait for her to answer. Awkwardly, she wrestles with the phone for a moment before finally swiping the screen and answering, “Hello?”

She only half listens to Peeta while she tries to figure out why Annie is here. She catches the tail-end of Peeta asking, “Are you on the way yet?”

“Yeah, let me put these papers down, and get my purse.”

“Hurry up then.”

Kpkpkpkp

The bells ring above the door announcing her arrival at the studio. She hears Peeta’s muffled voice calling out, “Katniss is that you?” 

She takes off her coat and hangs it in the foyer and follows his voice into the building. Standing under the industrial window that supplies the majority of the light is a real Christmas tree with a rug in front of it. It smells so fresh, Katniss wonders if someone cut it this morning. “Peeta? Where are you?”

He comes from the hallway that leads to his apartment carrying boxes. He is about to drop the smallest one, so she quickly walks over and grabs it. “What do you think?” 

“I thought you wasn’t going to put up a tree this year since you are at my house so much.”

He sets down the boxes and gives her a quick kiss. “The tree is for the photo shoot. I went to the mall and got you something to wear as well. I hope it fits.” He hands her a familiar pink-striped bag. He walks by and pops her on the ass and says, “Go try it on while I start putting up lights.”

“You pulled me out of work for this?”

He opens a few of the boxes and says over his shoulder, “Yes, kitten. The client called me this morning on the way to work. He offered me a big bonus if I could get these prints to him by Wednesday.” He straightens up and winks at her. “Think of this as your Christmas bonus.”

“How much?” she asks.

“He offered me at least $5,000 extra. I’m going to give you half.”

Her eyes grow wide at that number. “Oh, Peeta. That’s too much.” 

“It’s not. He saw us in Vegas and I guess we impressed him.”

“Oh,” she says wondering who the client is and if she would remember him if she saw him. She holds up the bag. “What is in here?” 

“Crane, the guy who is commissioning this, had a request. He wants you in that.” Peeta points to the bag. “Now go change.”

She sticks out her tongue and heads into the apartment to change. She goes over to the bed and dumps the contents of the two toned pink bag. The outfit is relatively tame compared to what she wore in Vegas. There are red, green and white striped thigh-high stockings, but no garter belt. Green silk boy-shorts and a red bra. She is getting ready to start changing when Peeta walks in behind her.

“You aren’t changed yet?” he teases.

She scowls at him over her shoulder and unbuttons her jeans. “Do I need shoes?” 

He watches her take off her jeans and unbutton her blouse. His eyes darken to a stormy sea blue as they fill with desire. She wiggles her bottom at him and he steps towards her with a growl. She backs up until her knees hit the bed, forcing her to sit down. He follows her with a grin and they land on the lingerie. “I thought we were in a hurry?” she asks. He kisses her neck, nibbling on that spot that makes her break out in goose bumps. She pulls on him until he finds her lips, each feasting on each other. He palms her breast through her bra and she moans into his mouth wanting more of him. “I need you,” she pants.

He pulls away, resting his weight on his elbows and kissing her on the nose. “Good,” he says with a smirk. “I want you hot and bothered. You take better pictures that way.” He rolls off of her and sits up. 

She lays there for a moment processing his words. She finds the red bra and smacks him with it. He looks at her with a predatory expression and pounces right on top of her. “Don’t you dare try any of your high school wrestling moves on me Mellark.”

He chuckles in her ear from where he somehow has her wrapped up in his arms and legs so she can't move. “I don’t think you are in a position to be making demands,” he growls in her ear. 

She twists so she can try to push him off of her but instead all she accomplishes is getting him to squeeze her tighter. She laughs. “I can't breathe. Let me up.”

“You can't escape the mighty anaconda,” he says, chuckling. “Its grip is going to get tighter and tighter until it squeezes your guts out.”

She stops wiggling. “Eww, that’s gross.” 

He stills too. “That is, isn’t it?”

She knows that this is her chance to get away. She quickly moves her hand down to his inner thigh. She feels for that nerve and squeezes. When he starts laughing from her tickling, and relaxes his hold, she takes her chance and wiggles out from under him. She pushes him onto his back and straddles him. Grabbing his hands and holding them above his head, she threatens dramatically, “Now I’ve got you.”

His face grows serious and the look in his eyes takes her breath away. “Now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?”

She kisses him, willing the love that she feels in this moment into it. She rises and looks into his eyes. “I’m going to put you somewhere where no one can hurt you ever again.”

This time he pulls his hands loose from hers and snakes them around her. He rolls over and pushes her hair back. “As long as you are with me, nothing can touch me again.” he returns the kiss that shakes them both to their core. 

Kpkpkpkp

He wraps the rope around her, encasing her in its tight cocoon. He comes around, securing the rope under her breasts and pauses to look at her for a moment. She meets his eyes and he kisses her on the nose. Next he starts on her hip harness, coiling the rope around her. He is focused on his work, threading the rope in between her legs. She can't help but to wiggle against the rope as if brushes her through the boy shorts she wears. He stops for a moment and gives her a little tug, knowing that the rope is putting the right amount of pressure on her. When her breath catches he looks up at her again keeping his face neutral. “What do you need, kitten?” he practically purrs.

It’s her turn to grin when she says, “You damn it. I needed you when I was changing clothes, but you said no. It will make the pictures better you said.”

He rolls his eyes. He doesn’t say anything but tightens the rope against her clit and secures it in the rope wrapped around her waist. He steps back and studies her for a moment then picks up another skein of rope, and unwinds it. He picks up her other hand and kisses her palm. She could swear that he looks a little nervous when he says, “I know I have never really bound your hands behind you before. Are you ok with me doing it now?”

She pulls her hand from his and she sees concern shadow his features. She smiles a little smile and holds up her hands to him. “I trust you, Peeta.”

Relief floods his face and he drops the rope so he can gather her hands in his. He brings them up so he can feel her touch on his face and says, “You scared me pulling away like that.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

He loops the rope gently around her wrist and brings it behind her. He secures it to her chest harness, and repeats with her other one. He gives the ropes a slight tug and says, “Wiggle your fingers.” When she does, he plops a Santa’s hat on top of her head and jokes, “Now I’ve got you.” 

“Now what?” she asks.

He pulls a string of lights out of a box and plugs them in. Katniss cracks up when only half of the strand lights up. He throws them to the side and brings out another. This time, the old fashioned, large glass blubs work when he plugs them in. He motions to the shag rug in front of the tree and asks, “Can you sit down or do you need me to help you?”

She looks warily at it and says, “I need some help, please.”

He comes over and helps her down to her knees. He goes back to the tripod that she just noticed that he set up. He makes some adjustments to the camera and then comes back to her. This time, he starts with the lights, carefully winding them around her moving them around. Once he is satisfied with the effect he commands, “Look down.”

She listens and he is quiet until she hears him walking away. “Don’t move,” He tells her. He snaps some pictures and then she hears him come over to her right. “I’m just going to turn the rug around, so I can see your back, ok?” She hears the camera and can't help but to hope that Peeta uses one of these back ones for this mysterious client. He interrupts her thoughts when he asks, “Do you feel like doing some suspension?”

“You know that I’m always up for that.”

He helps her up, and pulls the lights off. Then he unties her hands and she moves them in relief. He leaves the ropes on her wrists and pulls down the suspension circle. Soon he has her feet off of the ground, wrapping the lights around her again. “Damn you look amazing,” he tells her.

The look in his eyes tells her that he is telling her the truth. And honestly, she has never felt so beautiful. 

Kpkpkpkp

Through the month of December, every one of their friends have mentioned that they didn’t really have anywhere to go during Christmas. Even Gale with his big family. Rory lives in Florida, married to his college sweetheart and they just had a set of twins. All the other Hawthornes, except for Gale, are going to visit over Christmas. Madge’s parents booked a cruise over the holiday and Jo never really had anywhere to go. She had moved to Asheville years ago and they had adopted her into the group. She never really talked about her family and shrugged off any questions about them. Even Annie and Finnick makes plans to come over Christmas day after Finnick’s Aunt Mary Beth came and picked up Grandma Mags the week before. 

That’s why tonight, on Christmas Eve, Katniss and Peeta are exchanging presents. Alone. It’s her idea, really. When they are all together, she feels like she has to share him with everyone. Besides, Prim is also coming home, so this is their only alone time. She spreads out the blanket on the floor in front of the fireplace where she has a roaring fire going. Then she gets Prim’s old floor pillows and throws them down too. 

The kitchen door slams shut and she turns to watch Peeta bring in the pizza. He sits it down on the table and takes his coat off. She meets him for a kiss. When they separate, he says, “I don’t know why you wanted pizza. I was going to cook tonight.” 

“We’ll be cooking for everyone tomorrow. Tonight I want you, Netflix, and a warm fire.” 

He claims another kiss and grabs the pizza box. He follows her into the living room and he smiles when he sees the blanket and the pillows. “What is this? Are you planning on seducing me?” 

She smiles sweetly at him and teases, “It depends on what you got me for Christmas, Mr. Mellark.”

He looks embarrassed as he says, “We were going to do that tonight, weren’t we?”

She tries to hide her disappointment. “Oh that’s ok. We can do it later.” Katniss sets the pizza down and walks past him to go get napkins and he grabs her around the waist with a squeal. He sits down on the couch with her on his lap. 

“It’s a good thing I didn’t forget then,” he says and pulls out a little black box. She doesn’t have time to wonder where it came from because he opens it. Inside is a black pearl set in a diamond setting. 

“Oh Peeta!” she exclaims as he eases it out of the box. She pulls her hair aside and he puts it on her. “I’ve never had anything so beautiful before.”

“Well, now you have this.” He watches her for a moment as she adjusts the necklace. “I know that we’ve only known each other since October but it feels like I’ve known you for forever.”

“I feel that way too Peeta.”

He looks like he is going to say something else, but his phone ringing interrupts him. He looks down to see who is it and rolls his eyes. He sets the phone on the coffee table and wraps his arms around her. “What was that?” she asks.

He sighs. “It’s Cashmere. I’m sure she needs something, but it’s Christmas Eve. I want you and nothing else.” Her stomach rumbles and they chuckle together. “I guess I need to feed you?”

“But first I have something for you.” She stands up and gets a present out from under the tree. She goes to the pillows and he joins her on the blanket. They sit, and he opens the box. “I hope you like it, I actually found it in the attic.”

His face lights up when he pulls a camera bag out. He quickly opens it and pulls out her dad’s old camera. “This is a Nikon FE.”

“There are some lenses in there too.”

“Katniss, this is amazing.” He says excitedly, “This was one of my first cameras and then I broke it. I never thought I would have another one.” He sits it down and pulls her close for a kiss. 

“Do you like it?”

“You said that this is your dad’s? Don’t you want to keep it? I can show you how to use it.”

She shakes her head. “Oh no. One time I went to the zoo and used that camera. I took pictures all day long, but when I opened the back to see why I hadn’t run out of film, I hadn’t loaded it right. I need a digital camera.”

He pulls her close again and whispers against her hair, “Thank you.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss wakes up to a new message on her phone. She wipes the sleep from her eyes, and grabs it off of her nightstand. Peeta reaches for her and pulls her back under the covers. “Who is it?” he asks.

“It’s Prim. That’s weird.”

He pulls her closer and they are a wonderful mess of arms and legs and blankets. “What’s weird?”

“All she said is that she is on the way. She didn’t call or anything.”

“She just got finished at the hospital, right?”

“Yeah, she said the other day that there was another student who is catching a ride with her.”

“Then she will be here in what, three hours?”

She grins at him. “What are you thinking, Mr. Mellark?”

He rolls over on top of her and kisses his way down her chest. He takes her nipple in his mouth, and her fingers find their way to his unruly curls. She pulls on him to guide him to her other breast, but he ignores her tugging. Instead he keeps kissing his way downward. She asks sleepily, “What are you doing?”

He runs his tongue around her belly button and growls against her skin, “I’m going to eat you for breakfast.”

She giggles as he parts her folds with his fingers. “I think I’ll let you do that.”

She moans as he latches on to her clit. Waves of desire wash over her and she tries to be still as she comes. He rises to his knees and looks at her with a smirk. Before she realizes what he is doing, he lifts her legs to rest her feet on his shoulders and enters her quickly. He leans over her so he can go deeper. They move together, one coming quickly after the other. 

He collapses on the bed beside her and they share a lingering kiss. “Merry Christmas,” she whispers.

“Merry Christmas.”

Kpkpkpkp

It’s almost noon and Peeta checks the ham while Annie and Finnick are setting the table. Jo and Madge try to look busy while they talk about Gale, who is on the other side of the living room. Katniss laughs at them when Gale scowls and says, “I’m sitting right here, damn it.”

Katniss hears a car outside and starts towards the back door but before she can get there, Prim comes storming in still wearing her scrubs with Rue close behind her. She can hear Rue saying something to Prim, but it fades to a background noise when Katniss sees her sister’s face. Her usually happy, sunny face is set in harsh lines, eyebrows close together over wide eyes that blaze fire. 

She points to the other side of the kitchen at Peeta and shouts, “What in the fuck is that son of a bitch doing here?” Everyone stops what they are doing and looks at Prim. Katniss starts to say something but Prim continues, “After you let him do those things to you, he had to have convinced you somehow. Oh God, he paid you, didn’t he? Did he pay you to—“ Katniss can see Prim struggling for words when she finally spits out, “be his whore? Is that what you did on your trip last month?” Prim fumbles for her phone and shoves it in Katniss’ face. “You are all over the internet, dear sister,” Prim accuses, sarcasm dripping from her words.

Katniss can feel the oxygen being sucked out of the room when her knees buckle. She thinks Johanna catches her and helps her into a chair. There on the phone is video of them in Vegas. She and Peeta in the fashion show plays first. Then the bed where Peeta pretends to take her ‘doggy style’. She can't stop the moan when she sees herself climbing on top of Peeta rocking back and forth. She doesn’t even have to look when the video starts playing the familiar music from the ropes demonstration. She does look up in time to see Prim fly at Peeta. Before anyone can react, she slaps him soundly across the face.

“This is what you paid my sister to do? You tie her up? Do you also beat her? Did you make her into your slave? If I look under her clothes, how many bruises will I see? You came into her life too fast. And it was to find someone to abuse wasn’t it? You really are a stupid son of a bitch if you think I’m going to stand by and let you take advantage of my sister. What else have you done to her? When you took her to Vegas, did you make her sleep with other people? I know what people like you like to do. I see it all the time in my emergency room.”

Peeta doesn’t have a chance to say anything before Gale tries to interrupt. Prim turns on him and continues her rant, “I don’t want to hear anything from you Gale Hawthorne. You let him do this to her and let it continue when you can't even decide if you want Madge or Jo. Stop stringing them along and grow up you dumb ass dip-shit.”

Katniss has listened to enough. “Prim it’s not like that at all—“

“Oh it’s not is it? I know how this starts. First it’s a little let me tie you up, let me tell you what to do. Then, after he has that control over you, he tells you bullshit like how you are nothing without him, and he watches over every little thing you do. And didn’t you say that he owns the brewery too?” Prim crosses the kitchen to her sister. “He controls your money, he controls you.”

“Prim it’s not like that with us—“

“I don’t care!” Prim grabs her phone out of Katniss’ hand and shows her the video again. “You said that you started working for him to help me with school. The sister I know wouldn’t have let anyone put her on a stage, topless, and let someone tie her up. I don’t care how much money he is paying you but you need to quit. I can get another loan. I can't get another sister.”

Katniss rubs her face, her mind reeling from the attack. She looks up in time to see Prim moves towards Peeta again and jumps up to stops her. “Prim I don’t know where you are getting these ideas, but I do know what abuse is. And that is not what is happening in this relationship. Everything Peeta and I do is discussed before he ever brings out the rope. He knows my limits and he doesn’t go past them—“

“Don’t you understand Katniss? Right now, he is being nice and asking. Next thing you know, he isn’t asking and he is whipping you because you talked to some guy at the grocery store.” Prim grabs her by the shoulders and gives her a little shake. “This is not a good relationship for you. What if Mom and Dad were alive? Is this something you could tell them?”

Shame makes Katniss’ stomach roll and she is unable to look at Prim anymore. Prim turns back to Peeta and growls, “Get out of my house and stay away from my sister.” 

Angrily Peeta says, “Before I leave, I need to talk to Katniss.”

Katniss feels the tears gathering in her eyes as he strides across the floor and brushes past Prim. She looks over his shoulder and sees Rue holding Prim back from saying or doing anything else. She reaches for Peeta, and he takes her hand and leads them upstairs. This time, she can hear Madge and Jo both countering Prim’s protests.

He leads her to her room and shuts the door behind them. After he locks it, he catches her when she starts to sob. Even through her tears, she can still see Prim’s hand print on his cheek, which makes her cry even harder. She pulls him to the bed and says, “Sit down.” 

She goes into the bathroom, wets a cold washcloth, and brings it back to him. She gently puts it on his cheek and he pulls her to stand in between his legs. He puts his head on her stomach while she holds the washcloth on his face. They stay like that for a moment, with tears streaming down her face. She watches his hair getting wet from where her tears fall. She starts to twine one of his curls around her finger. “You stay here and let me go and talk to her. Once she realizes that we really do love each other and this isn’t domestic abuse, she will calm down.”

He looks up at her. He rests his hands on her hips and she tries not to think about the hurt she sees in his eyes. He swallows hard and whispers, “We can’t do this anymore.” 

“What do you mean?”

He pushes her away, stands and kisses her nose. In that instant, she can feel her heart start to break. “You can't lose Prim like I lost my dad. I love you too much to let that happen.”

She grabs his arms and tries to pull him back, but he is already stepping away. “Where are you going?” she demands.

He stops for a moment and then he gathers her into his arms. He tilts her chin and kisses her. She returns his kiss even though her heart is shattering. He pulls back and says, “You don’t need me.”

She pulls him back to her and whispers, “But, I do. I need you.” she presses her lips to his again. He welcomes her as always, but this time when he pushes her away, it’s with a sob. She throws her arms around his neck and they hold each other. 

He pulls away, and cups her cheek. “I love you, don’t ever forget that.” then he is gone. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

I know, I’m still crying too… don’t throw too many snowballs at me. Do tell me what you think…


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here she is folks. I’ll go ahead and tell you that this is the next twenty-four hours. So when they go to bed at the end of the chapter, it’s only the day after Christmas. 
> 
> I need to thank you, my dear reader for reading. You all have been so supportive, it’s been so wonderful. 
> 
> I also need to thank my wonderful sohypothetically who actually make an appearance in this chapter… and my sweet Norbertsmom and my pumpkin king. You two are always ready to help whenever I need it! 
> 
> And as usual, I don’t own anything but the rope in my bedside table. And the new purse that I got today.

Her heart hurts. There is no simple way of putting it. She doesn’t hear them downstairs anymore. There haven’t been any noises in a while. Just her, in the closet, under her clothes. Waiting for something, or someone to come and get her. She runs his pearl over her lips, wishing it was his lips instead. Tears run down her face. She doesn’t catch them or wipe them away but watches them drip on her hands. 

Her stomach rolls as a wave of nausea washes over her. She barely makes it to the toilet before she empties her stomach. She can't get back up because grief and queasiness weighting her down, so she lays down on the tile, relishing the coolness against her hot head. She closes her eyes, willing her stomach to stop protesting. 

Kpkpkpkp

He knows that he is going too fast, but he doesn’t really care. It’s Christmas morning and he didn’t expect to be driving back to the studio today. There isn’t anyone else out this morning, so they won’t care if he is going a bit too fast. 

He doesn’t blame anyone, not really. Not Katniss, not Finnick, not even Annie for getting pregnant and making it so he had to find another model. He blames himself. All this is his fault for thinking that he could even be remotely happy in this life. Maybe Mother was right after all, he doesn’t deserve anything. 

He blinks twice and he’s in the parking lot. If anyone was driving past him right now they would see him calmly walking into the building. But once he gets inside, he lets out a primal scream. He walks through the foyer, and the first thing he sees is that damn tree under the window. His only thought is to destroy everything. It all needs to go because he is destroyed, shattered, broken. 

There is a storage closet in the back and he digs through it for a moment. His dark, rage-filled eyes light up when he sees what he is looking for. He hasn’t used it since he had to last summer when the tree fell across the parking lot during the storm. 

He grabs it and walks back to the tree. He kicks it, and it crashes to the floor. Raising the axe above his head, he takes the first swing and it lands it with a satisfying crack. He pulls it loose and he hears the bell chime announcing that someone just walked in. he swings the axe again, this time successfully separating the two halves. 

Footsteps approach behind him and he growls, “I don’t really want to talk to anyone right now.” He swings the axe again. This time he plants it in the trunk.

Before he can wiggle it loose, Finnick carefully says, “I know that you are pissed—“

Peeta pulls the axe free and slowly turns to where his friends look at him with sorrow in their eyes. He tries to say something, but a sob escapes. Annie opens her arms and he drops the axe, collapsing into them. His tears wet her shoulder while Finnick protectively watches over them. 

Kpkpkpkp

She wakes up shivering, the cold from the tiles seeping into her bones. She thinks that she hears someone calling her name, but she is honestly doesn’t care. He is gone, and she is more broken than she has ever been before. 

She manages to sit up and get to her feet when someone bangs on her door. “Why don’t they just come in?” she mutters to herself. She looks at herself in the mirror and she doesn’t recognize the ashen, hollow-eyed person looking back. 

She hears the door open and Prim calls out, “Katniss! Where are you?” 

She turns to exit the bathroom and her sister is there blocking the doorway. “Can you move please?” Katniss says, her voice raspy from her vomiting.

“Katniss! What happened?” 

Prim goes to grab her arm but Katniss moves so she can't touch her. She passes her in the doorway and heads for her bed. She doesn’t even look at her sister before she is diving under the covers. 

“Katniss, why are you like this? Is it because Peeta left?”

“How did you find out about the Show?”

Prim looks down at her hands. “There were some other residents in the break room the other day. I walked in and one of them, Katie, told me to watch it. It was all the rage on YouTube.” Her voice takes on a bitter edge when she continues, “Imagine my surprise when I saw you all tied up and hanging upside down.”

“How did you know it was me?” Katniss whispers.

“Your scars from the wreck. You forget I have the same ones on my legs,” Prim says harshly.

“I haven’t forgotten.” Katniss’ voice rises the more she talks. “I haven’t forgotten you, or the fact that you are going to be a doctor. That is why I was doing this to begin with. You need to go before I say something I’ll regret.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Just get out,” she whispers. 

Prim pulls the covers off of her sister. “Katniss, now you are worrying me. You need to get up. Everyone left but I’m still here and so is Rue.”

“Get out and leave me alone,” Katniss says, this time a little louder than before.

Prim sits down on the bed. “Katniss—“

Katniss sits up and looks at Prim with rage in her eyes. “What else do you fucking want from me? I work two jobs so you don’t have to. What I was doing with Peeta or Finnick was perfectly legal. And now I’m not. That part of my life is over.” She chokes on a sob. Prim reaches for her but Katniss throws up her hands. Through gritted teeth she growls, “Don’t. Just get out and leave me alone.” 

“Katniss—“ 

This time it’s Katniss who lets out a scream. “Just leave me alone.”

Prim doesn’t say anything, but slowly backs up and exits, closing the door behind her. 

Katniss looks around for her phone and grabs for it like a drowning person. She swipes the screen and her heart hurts even more when she sees that he hasn’t tried to call or text her. She closes her eyes when tears prick her eyelids and she cries herself to sleep. 

Kpkpkpkp

When she opens her eyes again it’s dark outside. The light from the street light shines in her window enough to let her see the familiar shapes. The old house is silent as if it’s sharing in the grief of its young owner. On shaky knees she listens to the demands of her bladder and slowly gets up. She grabs her cell phone on the way and sees that its eight o’clock in the evening. She is numb when she sees that out of the several missed calls from Jo and Madge and even Gale, none of them are from him or Annie or Finnick. 

She washes her hands and on weak legs she finds her way down stairs. The kitchen is clean-spotless even- showing not a sign at all that her heart shattered there today. She walks over to the refrigerator and grabs the pitcher of tea. She pours a glass and guzzles it like the thirsty person she is. She starts on her second glass and takes a moment to look at the cling-wrapped dishes packed on her shelves. Instead of getting something to eat, she shuts the door and looks around. 

Memories flood her head as she looks at the stove where it seemed that he was always cooking something for her. She can still feel his hands on her where he made love to her on the counter. Before she can start to cry again, she hears a car pull up in the driveway. Katniss walks over to the sink and splashes some cold water on her face. She is patting it dry when Prim walks in the door. 

Katniss only spares a glance at her sister before she looks out the window, preferring the darkness. Prim sighs and walks over to the couch. Katniss watches her pick up her bag out of the corner of her eye. And then come up behind her. 

“I’ve got to get back to Durham. I’m working on the floor bright and early. Look, I’m sorry if I ruined Christmas, but I would rather see you this way that with someone who is going to treat you like that. You deserve so much better than him—“ 

Katniss whirls around her eyes blazing. “I told you to get out. I don’t want to see you right now.”

“But, Katniss-“

“Text me when you get back to your apartment.” Katniss turns back to the refrigerator and pulls out the bowls of food. She shoves them into a paper sack and pushes them into her sister’s arms. “I’m sorry I can't give you any money for groceries. I lost my second job today.” she says bitterly. 

“Katniss! I’m afraid for you. You don’t know what he can do—“

“You’ve done enough damage for today. Just go.”

“Bye sis.” Prim huffs and picks up her other bag. Katniss doesn’t say anything as she walks out the door. 

Kpkpkpkp

Annie and Finnick sleep in his bed. He doesn’t know why they just don’t go home. He’s fine, he thinks, as he smears the handful of black paint across the old brick wall. He picks up his brush and swirls it in the paint to turn it into an odd looking cloud. Then he picks up the brush he was using for silver and continues putting what he is feeling in his heart onto his wall. 

Different parts of her are on a constant reel in his head. Her eyes. Her twenty million smiles. The way she smelled, the way they would smell after they made love. The way she would look at him when he was tying her. The way she breathed his name in the middle of her dreams, reaching out for him, always searching, never resting until she touched him again. The way she was his. He just can't believe that in an instant, everything they had is gone, falling further and further away from him with every minute that passes.

He swirls silver on the battered brick under the industrial window that he loves so much. He doesn’t know how long he mixes, trying to find her eyes again. It’s a small victory when he gets the shade of grey right, but he finds it and soon the entire wall is the same color as her eyes with the black paint framing it all. 

The walls close around him, making him feel like he is suffocating. He has to go somewhere, so he grabs his coat and notices that the clock above the door reads three A.M. But he doesn’t stop until he is in his truck, driving, going wherever the road leads. 

It isn’t until he sees the sign for Ruark road that he realizes where he is. He pulls up to the curb in front of the house and turns off the engine. He doesn’t even care if someone sees him as he gets out of the truck. 

Her window is black like the winter night that surrounds it. Like a long-lost Romeo, he longs to call out for her until she comes to the window and beckons him to come to her. Instead, he is a broken man, falling to his knees hoping and wishing that somehow, she would come and find him. 

Kpkpkpkp

She jerks wake. She tells herself that she is silly thinking that she hears his truck outside. She looks at her cell and sees that its 3:30 A.M. She gets up to go look out the window. The only thing she sees is someone’s tail lights going on down the street. 

Her stomach lurches and she has to run to the bathroom. She barely makes it before she empties her stomach. When she finally makes it back to her bed, she buries her head in the pillow that still smells like him… she briefly thinks that maybe she should call the doctor tomorrow before she gives in to exhaustion. She dreams about losing everyone. Again. 

Kpkpkpkp

The sun comes in the metal-lined window. The lines of the industrial studio space should, in theory, be all harsh with sharp lines and angles. But somehow when Peeta moved in, he filled the space with rugs and pillows. Annie adds to his collection every time she sees a pillow in a certain pattern that reminds her of Peeta. It’s in a pile of these pillows Annie finds Peeta in the morning. 

They have been friends for a while, so when she sees him brow furrow like that even in sleep, she knows that he is troubled. She doesn’t bother him, but she starts to look around. There framing the window, is a big dark cloud framed in silver. It’s simple really, but she knows that he painted his heart last night. She pulls the throw off of the antique couch and covers him with it. He pulls it closer and snuggles down into the pillows. She doesn’t miss the tear tracks that have made paths through the smudges of paint on his cheeks. 

She quietly stands, and walks back into the apartment. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss awakes up to Jo sitting in her old wicker rocking chair playing a game on her phone. A wave a nausea washes her over and she jumps up to head for the bathroom. Jo doesn’t say anything until she is finished and brushing her teeth. “When was the last time you ate?”

Katniss’ stomach answers for her. “Yesterday I think.” She sits back down on the bed waiting for her head to stop swimming. 

“I’ll be right back,” Jo says before she disappears into the hallway. Katniss lays back down and Jo soon returns with a sliced apple and some ginger ale. She sits beside Katniss and Katniss lays her head on her friend’s shoulder. “Don’t slide back into the depression he helped bring you out of. Keep going forward. I know you don’t want to, but you have to. Why don’t you get up and go take a shower? Then come down stairs, I’ll call Undersee- she wanted me to call when you woke up anyway. And we will sit around, eat the food that is left over—“

“I sent it with Prim,” Katniss whispers.

“Well, then we will order pizza and Chinese! And watch season two of The Walking Dead.”

“When will I stop hurting?”

“This is your first broken heart, isn’t it?” Jo asks. Katniss nods against her shoulder. “It gets better day by day, a little bit at a time. Go wash, you stink.”

Katniss nods again and heads for the shower.

Kpkpkpkp

“Peeta. Wake up man.” 

“What?” he growls.

“Annie and I are going to go home for a little bit. Why don’t you come with us?” Peeta shakes his head but Finnick continues, “Peet, I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

He buries his head in the pillows. “I’m a grown man. I’ll be alright.” He knows that Annie is watching them. “Annie, I’m fine. I promise. I’m not going to do anything stupid. Go home and do something Christmassy.”

“Peeta,” Annie begs, “come home with us.”

This time Peeta sits up and runs his fingers through his messy curls. “I’ll come over for supper if you will do something for me.” 

Finnick and Annie nod together and Annie says, “Anything.”

“Can you take down the Christmas tree?” he gestures to the destroyed one behind them. “I don’t want to be reminded of--” He tries to keep his voice from cracking. 

“Everything,” Annie finishes for him. She sits down beside him on the pillows and wraps her arms around him. He relaxes in her embrace, but she can tell he’s trying to keep himself from crying. “Come by at five?” 

He nods and his friends go ahead and leave. He listens for the chime to signal that the door closed and gets up to lock it behind them. Then he walks slowly into his apartment. He never thought that seeing his bed would hurt so much, so he grabs her favorite throw, the one they took to Vegas, and holds it up to his nose. What is left of his heart squeezes painfully as he wraps it around himself and lays down on his couch. He falls into nightmares of never being able to find her again. 

Kpkpkpkp

It takes him a moment to realize that he is awake when he reaches out and she isn’t there. He still has the throw around him when he gets up. It’s right at 3:30, so he gently folds it up and replaces it on the couch. He quickly showers and while he gets dressed, his spies the envelope that Crane paid him with. He’s only taken out enough of the money to buy her the pearl, but he knows what he is going to do with the rest. He sticks it in his back pocket and heads on over to the O’dair’s.

He arrives and is impressed that all of the decorations have been packed away. He is even grateful that Finnick fixed his favorite clam chowder and Annie baked the bread that he showed her so many years ago. The old familiar smells remind him of the bakery as they fill his senses and he is finally able to relax a little bit. But even then he can't stop wondering what is she doing?

 

Kpkpkpkp 

The three girls sit on the overstuffed couch waiting for Shane to die. “I can't believe they took him off the show,” Madge whines.

“You are only saying that because you think he looks like Hawthorne,” Jo teases.

Katniss ducks as the pillow that Madge threw flies by her head. While she was upstairs, her friends had taken down all the Christmas stuff and packed it up for her. She hated owing anyone, but for that kindness she will be forever in debt. She is glad that Madge and Jo are here. Even if they can't agree on who did died and who shouldn’t die on The Walking Dead. She gets up to go get another glass of tea. 

“Bring me a beer, brainless,” Jo calls out.

“Do you want anything, Madge?” Katniss asks.

“I’m good.”

Katniss barely hands Jo her beer when a wave of dizziness washes over her. Katniss is hardly able to catch herself as she stumbles backwards. Jo jumps up and helps her back to the couch, while Madge walks into the downstairs bathroom to get a wet washcloth for her head. 

“Are you ok?” Jo asks.

“Yeah, I must have turned around too quick. Can you hand me my tea?” Madge gives it to her and after a long drink, Katniss says, “Go ahead and start the next show. I want to watch the Walkers take over Hershel’s farm.” 

Jo pushes the play button and Madge heads to the kitchen for some dinner. She returns with a bowl of rice with a couple pieces of sesame chicken. She sits it in Katniss’ lap and no one says a word as the watch the walkers invade the farm and Katniss eats everything in the bowl. 

Kpkpkpkp

He guesses he should have stayed longer, but he needs to see if she is alright. He knows that he can't tell Annie and Finnick that because they would look at him like he is a wounded puppy again. He pulls onto Ruark, his heart teases him by making it feel like he is coming home, when in fact, he knows that he has no place to go, no one who wants him. He pulls up to the curb and lets the truck idles for a moment. He isn’t ready to smile but he is glad to see Madge and Jo’s cars in the driveway. He guesses that her friends were worried about her too. Hell, who is he kidding, he is worried about the both of them tonight. 

The living room lights are on, and he can almost see their shadows against the sheer curtains that she told him once that her grandmother had given to her parents. He can almost see her chocolate hair in her familiar braid pulled over her shoulder while she sits on the couch with short spikey hair on one side and blonde curls on the other. 

He is still staring at her house wishing that he could just go on in there and claim her as his again when he sees someone walking down the street with their dog. He recognizes Mrs. Lund walking her black lab, Rosie. She shoots him a look as he sits there like a creeper in front. He gives Mrs. Lund a nod and puts the truck in drive. He pulls out of the neighborhood, and turns up the radio. The loud guitar of AC/DC helps him to focus on something else for just a moment. 

Kpkpkpkp

Rick is setting fire to the barn when Katniss hears something. She sits up straighter and glances towards the window. She hears the low rumble of the engine and swears to herself that she must be losing her mind. She stands up quickly and she doesn’t even notice the puzzled looks from her friends.

Katniss walks to the front door, and opens it just as a truck pulls down her street. Her neighbor waves to her and Katniss waves back. 

“What’s wrong?” Madge asks.

“It’s nothing. Just Mrs. Lund walking Rosie. Are you two going to stay the night?”

Madge and Jo exchange a look that Katniss can't decipher. “I can,” Madge volunteers. “I think Jo has to go to work in the morning.”

“Yeah, I’ve got to be out in the woods looking for deer poop.” Jo says as she gets up to go. The other girls laugh at her. “I’ll see you later.” 

An overwhelming tiredness washes over her as they see Jo out. She asks Madge, “Do you want to sleep in Prim’s room?”

Madge pats her gently on the back and says, “Yeah, that’s fine. Do you mind if I watch TV for a while longer?”

Katniss shakes her head. “Goodnight.” she makes her way to her room and closes the door. She pulls out the pearl that still hangs and crawls under the covers fully dressed, hugging the pillow that still smells like him to her tightly.

Kpkpkpkp

Peeta sighs and takes the loaf of bread out of the oven. He can't and doesn’t want to sleep. So to keep away the nightmares, he has the oven door open he puts the cake in that he made for Annie. He glances at the clock and it reads 2:00 a.m. He wipes his hands on the dishrag tucked into his sweatpants and walks back over to the wall. There, in a rough series of curved lines, is her face starting to take shape. 

Kpkpkpkp

I know, I know… hugs!!!! I hope you still love me…


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It usually takes a community, well a fandom, to get these chapters to you, and this one was no different. I need to thank sohypothetically and Norbertsmom for rounding up commas and stray grammar stuffs and my pumpkin king for reading. Then when one of them had some concerns about this chapter, my wonderful izzysampson, the amazing famousfremous and the sweet titania522 took several moments to read and give me feedback. Thank you so much ladies!!! I’ve met so many wonderful people in this fandom and these are just a couple. Go read their fics if you aren’t already…
> 
> Now, before you read anymore, this chapter is well, what happens when two people who love each other break up. And yes, you are getting the right notifications, there is two updates today. The second one is actually part of this chapter. I felt like it would be better to give you this chapter this way. Thank you again for reading.

He can't stop the smile that lights up his face when he feels her hand in his. Her touch calms him like nothing else can. He brings her hand up so he can kiss her knuckles like he always does, and grins when he sees her small, olive skinned hand in his. He presses a kiss and jumps when the touch shocks his lips. He decides not to say anything about it and instead leads her to the dungeon area of the Show. 

Cashmere and her pets are waiting to get into the area, but they step aside when he approaches. He feels a sense of dread when Cashmere doesn’t look at him like she usually does, like she wants to eat him alive. His eyes move to her pets, Clove and Cato. They are in their usual leather bottoms, tethered to Cashmere by a leash, but they are covered in cuts. Did she whip them, he wonders. He feels himself being dragged towards the guards before he can ask out loud. 

The guards exchange menacing looks before they turn their attention to Peeta and Katniss. “Good afternoon, Mr. Mellark.” The woman purrs in a voice that sounds frighteningly like his mother’s. “Are you here for your appointment? They have been waiting for you.”

Before he can ask what appointment, she pulls the curtain aside and ushers them in. When they enter, no one else is in this area. He looks around, confused when he feels an unseen force pushing him forward and a voice whispering in his ear, “This way Mr. Mellark. We have been waiting for you.”

A vice like grip pulls them apart and he is puzzled when Katniss doesn’t protest but lets them guide her away from him and to the St. Andrews cross looming in the center of the room. 

He tries to struggle, but the force holds him back, unable to move. 

He watches in amazement as a now naked Katniss walks calmly to the X-shaped cross, and the bindings move on their own as they wrap around her wrists and ankles to bind her in place. He wills her to turn and look at him. so he can make sure that she is ok, but ever since he found them back here in Vegas, she hasn’t turned to look at him once.

He feels something pushed into his hand as he is forced to move until he is standing behind her. He looks down and is surprised when he sees that in his hand is a big, bright pink butt plug with the twisted tree symbol on it. He tries to protest that Katniss isn’t prepared for anything like this, but he is tugged forward until he is right behind her bare ass. The sweet smell of her perfume invades his mind, making him momentarily unable to protest as he is forced to place the plug in her ass. 

To his amazement, Katniss doesn’t protest at all, even seems to welcome this intrusion. Once the plug is placed, hands force him back. When he looks down, he finds a rattan cane in his hand.

“I’m not using this on her!” he shouts to whoever is doing this to them. He tries to fling the cane away from him but it’s not budging. “She doesn’t deserve this punishment. Let me be the one to take it.” In a blink of an eye, he finds himself naked and bound in Katniss’ place on the St. Andrews cross with the plug up his ass. He struggles against the binding, but it holds him tight. He hears that voice again, the one that sounds like his mother, as it taunts him, “You said you wanted to take her punishment. So take it like a man.”

He sucks in a hard breath when Katniss lands the first blow across his buttocks. He can hear the wind whipping around the rattan when she comes again for the second blow. He learned a long time ago not to cry out, but that doesn’t stop the tears that prick his eyes. He loses count after the sixth blow and his knees give out because of the pain. The ropes around his wrists are the only things holding him up when he hears dangerous laughter. He can barely turn his head against the pain, but somehow manages it. There standing behind Katniss is everyone from the Show laughing at him. He struggles to stand, but he can't stop the scream from escaping his throat when he sees the fire mutt that used to be Katniss coming for him…

He wakes with a jerk, sitting straight up in the bed, panting. His phone rings with the old Whitney Houston song, “No One Loves Me Like You Do.” He is shaking like a leaf in a thunderstorm when he runs his fingers through his curls, pulling at the ends. He doesn’t have to look at the phone to know that it’s Katniss, the fire mutt of his dreams, calling. She made that song her ringtone after she sang that to him after the demonstration in Vegas. 

The music follows him into the bathroom where he washes his face in cold water, trying to get his racing heart to slow down just a little bit. He watches himself in the mirror and begins to mumble to himself, “She doesn’t deserve you. She can do so much better than anything you have to offer. A clean break is better than talking about it and dragging it out, besides, why would she want anyone as fucked up as you?” 

The song continues but when he finally gives in and starts to race for the phone, it stops. He sighs in defeat, “See, she doesn’t want you anyway.” But he still wonders if she will call back again. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

She pushes the end button after the call goes to voicemail. She isn’t sure if she calls because she knows that he won’t answer and she can still hear his voice on the message or if she really wants to talk to him, to hear that he is at least ok and tell him that she can leave his couple pairs of jeans, his socks and razor at work with Finnick. He isn’t getting back his Twisted hoodie that still smells like him that she found yesterday while hiding in her closet and is wearing now. 

Before she can replay the voice mail he had left on her phone last month for the tenth time, Prim calls. Instead of accepting, she slides it the other way to stop the ringing. It’s not even a moment later when her phone lights up with a text.

Prim: Answer the phone.

Katniss: No. I told you I don’t want to talk to you right now.

Prim: Damn it Katniss! I need to talk to you.

Katniss: And I told you, I don’t want to talk to you right now. 

Prim: Fine. Let me know when you are ready to grow up and stop being a bitch.

Katniss: Wtf?? Me, being the bitch? Oh no its you running in here and having a hissy fit all over the place and not even stopping to ask me about it first. You had no right to do that and now he won’t even talk to me.

Prim: Good. Even if I did pitch a fit that’s my right to do that. I was only protecting you

Katniss: Protecting me from what? Finally being happy? Of falling in love? Whatever you think is happening here, is not what was happening.

Prim: We’ll talk about this if you will ever pick-up the phone.

She doesn’t reply back, but leaves her phone on the charger and goes downstairs. She is still mad and sad, and she just doesn’t want to talk to her sister right now. If he would just talk to her, they could make up, then she would be more than happy to sit down and talk to her sister. But it seems like that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. 

She is looking at the contents of her refrigerator even though there is a constant low rumble of nausea just under the surface rolling, threatening to erupt at any moment. How can she feel so nauseous but still be so hungry? Her thoughts are interrupted by a hesitant knocking on the kitchen door. 

Katniss can see black hair through the door curtains. She opens the door expecting to admonish Jo for even knocking when she meets Annie’s worried eyes. They stand there for a moment watching each other, when Annie breaks the silence. “Can we somehow still be friends? Or would it be too weird?”

“Come in,” Katniss says swinging the door open. Annie pulls her into a tight hug. “I would like to still be friends with you. Can we do that? Or would we be breaking some kind of code?”

They giggle together. “I don’t know. The hell with it if we are.”

“Would you like some tea?” Katniss offers.

Annie holds out an envelope to her. “I actually can't stay, I’m on the way to a doctor’s appointment.” She wipes her hands on her jeans, nervously. “He asked if I could drop that off.”

Katniss opens the envelope and there is a stack of one hundred dollar bills. “What is this?”

“Peeta said that he wanted you to have the bonus from the Christmas pictures.”

“Oh.” She pauses for a moment, more shocked than anything. “But why? I thought he needed this? You know, for the studio?”

Annie shrugs. “Finnick was there yesterday and that’s what Peeta told him. I’ve got to go. What are you doing for New Year’s?”

Katniss shakes her head. “I can't—“

Annie pulls her in for another hug. “I know, sweetie. I’ll call you later, ok?”

This time Katniss nods, and shuts the door behind Annie. She holds up the envelope of cash and before she can do anything with it, the nausea that has been simmering just under the surface forces her into the bathroom.

Kpkpkpkp

New Year’s comes and goes for the separated lovers. Katniss sits in her closet, wrapped up in his sweatshirt, while Peeta is cocooned in her favorite throw on his couch. In their minds they relive all of their time together while their hearts continue to shatter from missing each other. 

The same morning that Katniss is trying to reason with her stomach to not be so damn difficult, Peeta gets a phone call. Finnick comes by the studio before he goes in to the brewery for a meeting with Haymitch. 

Peeta offers him a cup of coffee and begins, “Cashmere called me this morning.”

Finnick looks at the clock over Peeta’s shoulder and lets out a low whistle. “She is already awake? What’s the emergency? Did her slaves put each other in the hospital again?”

“No, actually she wants my help.” 

“With what?”

Peeta shrugs. “I’m not sure exactly but she wants me to fly out and visit.”

This time, Finnick runs his hand through his copper waves. “When and for how long?”

“Next week, she is emailing me the ticket information.”

“What about Katniss?”

“What about her?” Peeta fights the shiver that races up his spine when he tries not to think about the nightmares he keeps on having about her. “She isn’t cut out for this lifestyle—“

“Damn it Peeta! Just call her.”

Peeta continues, “She isn’t made for this lifestyle. She will move on and find a nice guy—“

“What lifestyle? Peeta, it isn’t like you are a leather wearing, follow me around like a good slave would-type dom. Hell, are you even a dominant? Yes, ‘you like to tie pretty girls up’ as you like to say, but you aren’t anything like Cashmere, or even Portia. And whether you want to believe it or not, you are a nice guy,” Peeta opens his mouth like he wants to interrupt him but Finnick continues anyway, “no matter what your mother told you growing up.”

“Did you give her the money?” Peeta asks, trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, Annie ran it by there before New Year’s. Look, go to Seattle. Hell, it might clear your head and show you what you need to do next. Are you coming to the end of the year meeting for the brewery?”

“The brewery is more your baby. I’m the silent partner, remember?”

“Fine, fine. I’ve got to go. Call me later, ok?” Finnick asks, as he moves towards the door.

“I will.”

Kpkpkpkp

Annie peeks her head into Katniss’ office a week later. “Come on, we are about to start.” Katniss looks nervous and Annie comes all the way in. Annie closes the door behind her and tries to comfort Katniss when she says, “I told you, Peeta doesn’t involve himself with the brewery at all, so he won’t be here and besides, he is out of town right now.” She is interrupted by a knock and Annie opens the door.

Katniss jumps up and quickly circles her desk when Grandma Mags comes into her office. Even if Grandma is just a slight little thing, she grabs Katniss up in a fierce hug. Katniss can't explain it, but all of a sudden she knows that everything is going to be ok. “Let me get a look at you, my dear,” Mags says. 

Katniss sees Annie’s eyes grow wide at Grandma’s words. Before Katniss has a chance to say anything, she finds herself at the scrutiny of the two women. “Are you sick yet?” Grandma asks.

“My stomach has been giving me problems,” Katniss says questionably.

Annie gasps and asks, “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” 

“She is,” Grandma declares.

“I-I am?” Katniss stutters. She thinks back to the past several months with a moan. “I can't be, can I?”

“I’ve always been able to tell,” Grandma brags. “Have you been able to keep anything down?”

Katniss shakes her head. “Only broth and bread. Everything else comes back up pretty quick.”

Grandma pats her on the arm and pulls her in for another hug. “Keep crackers by your bed. Eat something before you even get up in the morning. That will help a lot. I haven’t seen Peeta. Is he excited?”

Katniss feels like the breath has been knocked out of her, so she sits down hard in the extra chair she has in front of her desk. She can't focus on what Annie and Grandma are saying to her but she is grateful when they leave, closing the door behind them. She tries to breathe normally and waits for her racing heart to calm down before she tries to get up again. Well the nausea makes sense now, she thinks with a sigh. She looks at the clock and sees that she still has an hour to go before the meeting. There is a drug store across the street, so she grabs her purse and heads out the door, calling Madge on the way to say that needs to take a quick break. 

She is in and out in a flash with the little box tucked in her purse. There is a single guest bathroom near the entrance of the brewery, and it’s there Katniss locks the door behind her. She can't stop the sob that escapes when the plus sign shows up quickly in the window of the pregnancy test. 

Kpkpkpkp

Somehow she makes it though the meeting, but Madge grabs her immediately afterwards. “Something happened.”

Katniss nods and whispers, “Meet me in my office in ten. I need to talk to Annie.”

Madge glances at Annie across the room and says questionably, “Ok?”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Madge nods and goes to talk to Haymitch while Katniss makes her way to Annie. “Please don’t say anything to Peeta.” She knows that Annie can see the torment in her eyes. 

Annie promises, “I won’t.” She sees Madge watching them. “I’m here if you need me, ok?”

“Can you talk to Grandma?”

“I will. She won’t say anything.”

“Thank you,” Katniss whispers. She exits quickly, going into the bathroom. She was able to keep her stomach calm through the meeting but when she stood up, she began to feel nauseous again. 

She rinses her mouth and washes her hands and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks tired, but wonders what it was that Grandma had seen that made her even think that Katniss is pregnant?

She goes back to her office, and Madge is already there waiting for her. For once, Katniss closes the door behind her and Madge sits down in the extra chair. “You closed the door. What happened?”

Katniss sits at her desk. First she digs through her purse, takes out the test and pushes it at Madge, then she puts her elbows on the desk and rests her head in her hands. 

“Fuck me,” Madge whispers.

“Tell me about it,” Katniss replies. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Madge offers.

“Can we do that?”

“Yeah, we can take off early. Let me tell Haymitch. Can you drive?”

Katniss giggles. “I’m pregnant, not drunk.” She hears the words for the first time and says, “Fuck me,” as the tears come again. 

Madge grabs her phone and calls Haymitch. Katniss only half way listens while she grabs her purse and coat. They stop by Madge’s office, so she can get her things and head out to the parking lot. 

Kpkpkpkp

“It’s the fifteenth of January. When was your last period?” Jo asks as she looks at her phone.

Katniss looks at the app that keeps track of her periods. “Fuck. November first.”

“It’s been that long?” Madge asks.

“I forgot my pills when we were in Vegas. I’ve only been taking them for a couple of months,” Katniss defends herself. 

Jo begins, “according to this, you are due August the eighth. So you are about eleven weeks. One more week until you are out of your first trimester—“ 

“I’m not keeping it,” Katniss says quietly. The girls are quiet. She scrubs the tears away before they notice, and steals a glance at her friends. She cringes when she sees the pity on their faces. “He doesn’t want me, much less a baby with me. My sister thinks I can't make an intelligent decision about anything, and the rest of my family is dead. I can't take care of a baby by myself.” She breaks down crying. Madge and Jo gather on either side of her, surround her and hold her while she cries for everyone she keeps on losing. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

Peeta rubs his eyes as he exits the plane. It was a long flight and he is ready to go home. He quickly grabs his bag and goes looking for Finnick. His friend meets him out by the curb, leaning against an SUV Peeta has never seen before. Peeta raises an eyebrow in question. “I had to. It’s for the baby,” Finnick defends.

“How is Annie?”

“She’s fine. How is Cashmere?” Finnick asks as he starts the Ford Explorer. 

“That was an interesting trip. She bought an old armory.”

“Whatever for?” 

“She wants to turn it into studios, art space. Stuff like that for people who are in the lifestyle. She said, ‘I want to demystify and celebrate alternative sexualities by providing the most authentic kinky experiences.’ They have already decided to hold the Vegas show there next year.”

“Really? That’s great. Why did she want you to come out there? Did she want your opinion?”

Peeta looks out the window. “She offered me a job.” 

Finnick looks between Peeta and the road. “Doing what?”

“What I do now. Give classes, take pictures, stuff like that.”

“I know you aren’t going to take it. It would be silly to go work for someone else when you have your own studio here.” Finnick steals a glance at Peeta again. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. You are going to take it aren’t you?”

Peeta looks down at his phone that he keeps messing with. It’s now January twenty-fourth. She stopped calling and texting over a week ago. “You don’t need me. I don’t even help you with the brewery.”

“Peeta, you should just call her. Go to her house. Do something to get her back. I know she loves you too.”

“Why? Did she say something at work?” he asks, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. 

“She looks as bad as you do, is how I know that she loves you. Look, I know that this is your life and I’m not telling you how to live it, by any means, but don’t quit Katniss. You two need each other too much.”

Peeta keeps on fiddling with his phone as he lets his friend’s words sink in as they continue to drive home from the airport in silence. 

Ending notes…  
Now… before you all start to send me nasty notes about Peeta’s dream, remember, it’s a nightmare. When I started this, I was thinking, what would be the worst thing for a dominant person to dream about, this is what happened. I also wanted to touch on him being hijacked, and him essentially being raped, not by Katniss, but by unseen forces in their lives that are manipulating them.   
Now, as you will see in your notifications, that there are two chapters this time. The second part that you are getting ready to go read was originally part of this one, but I thought it would be a good idea to do it this way.   
And Cashmere’s armory is based off of a real one that they did this at in San Francisco.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, if you have never read any of my other author’s note before, please read these now! 
> 
> This is the second part to chapter 13… more like 13.5… read 13 before you read this…. 
> 
> Once again thank you to the wonderful ladies who helped me with this… 
> 
> This section has triggers… abortion being the main one. So please stop reading if that is a trigger for you. I adore every one of you, and I really don’t want anything that I’ve written bother you in a really bad way. I will give an update at the beginning of the next chapter as to what Katniss did. Or skip down and read the notes at the bottom.

The clinic

Katniss pulls up into the parking lot and turns off her Jeep. She closes her eyes, and tries to breathe. Ever since she found out that she is pregnant, she isn’t sure if this is the right decision or not. Peeta still hasn’t called her back or texted and she just refuses to ask Annie or Finnick about him, not that they would probably tell her. 

She grabs her purse and slams the door behind her. She walks slowly to the front door of the OB/GYN’s office and goes in. Since her appointment is the first one of the day, there are only two other ladies there too. One looks like she is about seventeen years old, and Katniss hopes that she is just there for birth control and not the same reason she is. The other is a woman with a baby about three months old who is fast asleep in the pink car seat. 

She walks over to the window and signs her name on the clipboard. The window opens and a kind woman looks out and says, “Hey, sweetie, do you have an appointment?”

Katniss nods and chokes out, “Katniss Everdeen,” her throat dry in her nervousness. 

The receptionist looks at her with pity in her eyes. “It will be ok.” She hands Katniss a clip board with some papers on it. “Go fill these out. Do you have your insurance card?”

Katniss nods and pulls her wallet out. Handing her the card, she trades it for the clip board. She finds a seat, pulls out a pen and starts to fill in the information.

The baby in the carrier stirs, making the sucking sounds that little ones do when they sleep. Katniss quickly looks away and gets back to filling in her medical history. She finally signs the last page and takes it back to the receptionist. They exchange clip board for insurance card and Katniss is sent back to her seat with a “you will probably be next.”

She settles back into the fake leather chair and gets her phone out. She pretends to be doing something but she is really watching the baby girl. The mother is looking at her own phone and hasn’t noticed that her daughter is now awake. 

The baby, dressed in pink, finds Katniss sitting across from her. She has dark, thick hair that is trying to curl, and big blue eyes that are the same color as Prim’s. Katniss’ hand hovers protectively over her little bump and she finds herself wondering what color this baby’s eyes are. If they would be silver like hers, or Carolina blue like Peeta’s.

She looks back at her phone, blinking against the rebel tears that try to escape. The baby’s soft grunts draw her attention again as the mother quickly gets her out of the carrier and starts to whisper to her baby. 

“Katniss Everdeen,” a nurse calls into the waiting room. 

She gets up and offers a weak smile to the mother as she passes her by. The mother meets her eyes and offers, “You are going to make a great mother, congratulations.”

At those words, what is left of her wounded heart shatters. She follows the nurse to a scale and numbly lets herself be weighed and checked for high blood pressure. The nurse tisks over the high numbers but leads to an exam room anyway. 

The nurse motions for Katniss to sit down and she sits on the other side of the desk. “My name is Cecelia and I’ll be your nurse for today.” Cecelia looks at the clip board. “You took a pregnancy test a week and a half ago? Is that right?” Katniss can't talk around the lump in her throat, so she just nods. “And your last period was in November?”

Katniss is finally able to say, “November first. I went to Vegas and forgot to take my pills. I was silly and thought that this wouldn’t happen.”

Cecelia pats her hand. “It’s ok honey. That is what we are here for. Have you thought about all of your options?”

Katniss nods and blinks. She still can't believe that she is here. “There isn’t really anything else. The father,” this time she can't stop the sob from escaping, “doesn’t love me, after all. He won’t even call.” Cecelia hands her a Kleenex and holds her hand. 

“You know that I have to do an ultrasound first. Let’s go ahead, ok?” Katniss nods and Cecelia walks over to fetch a gown. “Go ahead and change. I’ll be right back.”

Cecelia walks out, closing the door behind her. While Katniss is changing her phone starts to ring. She glances at it and sees that it’s Jo. She quickly swipes it and answers, “Hello?”

“What are you doing brainless?”

“I’m at the doctor’s office.”

“Oh fuck. Why didn’t you wait for me? I told you I would come with you.”

“I have to do this by myself. I’ve got to go.”

“Call me,” Jo practically begs. 

“Ok. I’ve got to go.” Katniss hangs up and finishes changing. She sits on the exam table and waits. She opens up her contacts and finds herself still staring at his name. The last bits and pieces of her heart finally breaking as she thinks about what she is getting ready to do. 

Soon there is a knock on the door and Katniss quickly wipes her eyes. Cecelia comes in with a man behind her, who she introduces as Dr. Aurelius’. He shakes Katniss’ hand and sits on the stool at the end of the table, while Cecelia turns on the ultrasound machine. 

“Good morning, Ms. Everdeen.” She nods and he continues, “Cecelia told you what we have to do first? Then we will figure out what to do after that, ok?”

Cecelia dims the lights and comes back to Katniss’ side. The whirl of the machine comforts Katniss in a weird way. Dr. Aurelius’ drapes a blanket over her legs and Cecelia says, “Can you lift up your gown, sweetie?”

Katniss wiggles her hips and exposes her stomach. Cecelia squirts the warm, gel on Katniss’ stomach and gets the wand from the machine. She puts the wand in the middle of the puddle of gel and smears it around. “I’m glad that’s warm” Katniss says, trying to break the tension.

Cecelia answers her with a smile and she and the doctor looks back at the screen. The screen is gray and fuzzy and Cecelia swipes the wand below Katniss’ belly button. She stills, then moves slowly. She stops and pushes a button. “That’s the fetus, Katniss.” She pushes some more buttons and it looks like she is measuring the lump. Cecelia says, “It’s measuring twelve to thirteen weeks. So you are due on August the eighth.”

Katniss can't take her eyes off of the screen. She notices the jig-jagged line across the top and asks, “Is that the heartbeat? Can I hear it, please?”

“Of course,” Cecelia answers and turns up the volume. 

The sweet sounds fill the room, and Katniss’ heart. “That’s my baby,” she whispers. “You can't have her. She belongs to me.” And this time, Katniss can't stop and doesn’t want to stop the happy and sad tears. 

Dr. Aurelius’ gives her a smile and takes her hand and waits patiently for her to stop crying. “Do you have a regular OB?”

Katniss looks at him for a moment. “I do. I go to Doctor Oliver.”

He pats her on the hand. “He’s a good one. Go to him, and have a happy, healthy baby.” And he walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Meanwhile, Cecelia snaps more pictures and prints them off. She turns to Katniss and says, “I know that this is a scary decision you’ve just made, but you will be alright.” She squeezes’ Katniss shoulder, and gets a towel and together they wipe off the gel. “You need to tell him. If you don’t, you will hate yourself one day.”

Katniss nods, and says, “Thank you, I will.”

When she is left alone again, she gently caresses her stomach and cries a little more. “I’m sorry baby. I want you. I’m so sorry that I even thought about doing that. I’m going to take such good care of you. I can't wait to meet you.” She slowly gets dressed, free from the guilt she felt before.

Soon, she is out the door. Before she has a chance to dig her keys out of her purse, she looks towards her Jeep and sees Johanna and Madge standing there. They look at her questionably and she simply shakes her head. The girls come forward and they all hug. 

It’s Madge who says, “We are here for you. Don’t ever forget that. Ok?”

“We mean it brainless. This kid just acquired the coolest set of aunts a kid could ask for,” Jo adds.

Katniss returns their smiles, knowing that somehow everything is going to be ok. 

Kpkpkpkpkp

Please don’t send me nasty notes. I am not trying to stir up anything like controversy, a debate on abortion, or anything like that. The story takes place in North Carolina. Here, when a woman wants to have an abortion, she has to go in for an ultrasound and wait twenty-four hours. When I write, at times I will include real life stuff like different laws. That is why Cecelia did an ultrasound. 

If I have made you upset, then I apologize because that was not my intent. This is a story of a young woman, who fell in love with a boy. At this point in the story, Katniss is very sad because the boy who she loves, won’t even acknowledge that she is even alive anymore. She is having to deal with her broken heart and a baby. This is just another step of her starting to wake up, and having to fight for her what she wants. And she has discovered that right now, she wants this child. Because to me, this Katniss has gone through so much losing so many people that while the baby might scare her to death, its family. And even as we are all reminded in Mockingjay, you don’t leave the ones you love behind. 

So once again… I didn’t mean to offend anyone, or to make anyone mad. I adore all of my readers. I really do. So please don’t leave me because of this. It’s like they say, once you hit bottom, all you can do is go up, right?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!! I know the last chapter was a doozy. Thank you everyone for your support. Just in case you didn’t read the little snippet, Katniss went to an OB who performs abortions. Here in North Carolina, its state law that a woman has to have a ultrasound before and when Katniss did, she heard the heartbeat, and [using Miranda from a certain cable series as inspiration] she said, “no, this is my baby.” And changed her mind. 
> 
> I’m glad that you returned. Thank you!!! 
> 
> I need to thank my little village of people again… sohypothetically for being there when I need her to be. Norbertsmom for wrangling commas for me. Those things really get away from me at times ;). And then Lou and lutefisk and dianaflynn and pumpkin-king… they all read and encouraged me so much!! ! Thank you ladies!! And I can’t forget Arden!! 
> 
> So here we go… enjoy!

Stepping out of the old antebellum mansion on the ancient street in Mooresville, Katniss takes a deep breath. One smell that hasn’t quite reached the mountains yet, is the smell of spring coming. The second is the unmistakable aroma of fresh bread. She doesn’t really pay attention to anything else but the traffic as she crosses the road separating her from the wonderful fragrance. 

The bell chimes, welcoming her as she opens the door to the bakery. The rich smells that assault her, wrap around her like a warm hug. There are a couple of people in line ahead of her, so she just steps in behind them looking over their shoulders at the display case. 

Katniss follows the line until it’s her turn at the counter. The older blond headed man with sparking eyes greets her, “Welcome to Mellark’s bakery. What can I get for you?”

“Oh, crap,” Katniss says under her breath when she sees the resemblance and realizes that she is probably talking to Peeta’s father. Peeta never mentioned that the family bakery was just in Mooresville, right outside of Charlotte, but then, she didn’t tell anyone she was down here for a job interview with Snow Industries either. Too many emotions roll through her and she amazes herself when she calmly asks, “Do you have cheese buns?” He smiles warmly at her and moves to get some out of the display. She wants to hurry up and get out of there, but something else catches her eye. “Can I get a loaf of the white organic bread with raisins and nuts, too?” 

“That is actually a loaf of cranberry and orange.” He pauses for a moment and wipes his hands on his apron before continuing, “I don’t make that loaf anymore. Not since I lost my son.”

 

She feels the pang in her heart at his words. This is Peeta’s father. Oddly, she finds comfort in that in some small way, he is still missing Peeta just like she is. She says sadly, “I’m sorry about your loss.”

This time when he smiles, it’s a tired one. He simply says, “I miss him,” and hands her the cheese buns. She reaches for her purse, but he waves her money away. “It’s for the little one.” 

Her hand briefly touches the bump that is just now starting to show. “How did you know? I’m barely showing.”

“I can just tell.” This time he reaches back into the display and pulls out several heart cookies that she knows that he made for Valentine’s Day, which is next week. “These are all organic. I think the baby will like them.” 

Katniss reaches for the cookie bag and says, “Thank you so much.” Soon she is in her Jeep, eating bread and cookies. She can't help but to sadly think about Mr. Mellark and what they have both lost when they lost Peeta. 

Kpkpkpkp

This is weird, Katniss thinks as she walks into the brewery the next day. As much as she helped to open this place, she might not be working here much longer. She absent-mindedly rubs her stomach as she greets others in the office. When she sees Haymitch coming around the corner, she drops her hand. 

“Everdeen, office, now.”

“Ok? Let me put my stuff down and I’ll be right in.” Haymitch nods in acknowledgement and goes into his office, and she quickly goes into hers. She has never felt nervous talking to Haymitch before, but she supposes since she interviewed with Snow the day before, that was only adding to her nerves.

She walks in, and he doesn’t even look up as he says, “Shut the door and sit down.” She follows his directions, and quickly sits down. He finally looks up and stares at her long enough to make her squirm under his scrutiny. At last, he asks, “When are you due?” 

Katniss sits there for a moment, speechless before she can finally reply, “How do know that I’m pregnant?”

He smirks and answers, “You don’t normally go to the bathroom as much as you have been. And you are starting to get that pregnancy glow.”

She looks down at her hands in her lap. “Oh. I’m due August eighth.” 

“What did Snow say when you told him at your interview?” She looks up at Haymitch, and before she can say anything, he continues, “My old fishing buddy, Chaff, interviewed you yesterday.”

With a groan, she rubs her forehead trying to stop the headache that is trying to form there. “Am I fired?”

“No, you’re not. I actually want you to stay, but I understand what you are doing, too.”

She drops her hand and looks back up at Haymitch. “What am I doing, because I sure am tired as hell trying to figure it out?”

“You think you have to leave because of the boy.” 

“Yes, that is what I’m doing. I don’t think I can be working for the father of my unborn child,” she sighs. “My life has become a damn Harlequin romance.”

“Does the boy know?”

At this, Katniss loudly snorts. “He won’t even talk to me. I just figured that he doesn’t want me, so why would he want this baby?” Without thinking about it, she rubs her bump. “We’ll be just fine. Did Chaff call for a reference?”

“Not really. He saw where you put me down as your supervisor and called me after the interview. I’ll go ahead and tell you, he wants you. He knows how you helped me and Finnick switch everything over when we came in, and he wants you to do the same at the vineyard. But first they have a board that they have to report to, so it will be another couple of weeks before he can officially offer it to you. This is where I’m going to tell you not to go, and even offer you a raise but I understand the reason you have to go, too. Did Chaff offer you daycare?”

She nods. “He did.”

“I might be able to match that if Annie comes back to work after baby O’dair is born, but I’m still not sure what she is going to do.”

“I have a lot to think about,” Katniss says.

“You do,” Haymitch agrees.

“Oh, don’t say anything yet to Finnick and Annie, please.”

“I’ll let you tell them.”

“Thank you.”

Kpkpkpkp

It’s the Friday after an uneventful Valentine’s Day, Katniss is washing the strawberries she just picked up at the grocery. She never really cared for them, but it seems that the little one is going to like them a lot, as much as she has been craving them. She is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn’t hear the car pulling up into the driveway. She does hear the kitchen door opening and jumps when Prim appears in the doorway and warily comes walking in.

“Why are you fixing strawberries?”

“What are you doing here?” Katniss asks back.

“I’m free this weekend, and Rue is having a party. I know that you’re still mad, so I’m staying over there.”

Katniss sighs. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“When do you want to talk about it? We can't keep on like this. We are the only family each other has.”

“Prim, you came in here with your mind already made up like you tend to do, and didn’t even try to listen to anything anyone was trying to say to you. You even slapped Peeta.” 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have slapped him, but you don’t understand, I saw that video of you doing all of that stuff,” Prim says and Katniss can hear the disgust in her voice. “And then when I saw that it was Peeta who was doing that stuff to you, I didn’t know what to think.”

“You know, I thought you knew me. Do you really think that Peeta or anyone else for that matter could make me do something that I didn’t want to do?”

“But I’ve seen those men coming into the hospital after the women and children they beat up. They act all loving and caring.”

Katniss sighs. She knows that she needs to answer Prim’s questions, she just isn’t sure how to do it without sounding like she is trying to justify abuse, then she remembers what Cashmere gave out at the Show. She digs through her purse and pulls out a brochure. “Look, I know part of you already has made up your mind about this.” She hands Prim the pamphlet. “This is from that same show you had on your phone. It gives signs of abuse in a BDSM relationship, but there is something else you need to realize. Peeta is a rigger. He ties people up. He isn’t into the sadism and masochism part of the lifestyle. Just read the paper.” 

Prim begins to read out loud:

“In this world of Subs and Doms, of tops and bottoms, it’s so important to remember some simple warning signs if you are a bottom…  
If your Dom tells you that you have no rights or opinions and their way is the only way - Run!  
If your Dom doesn’t believe in discussing boundaries and limits, because their way is the only way - Run!  
If your Dom will not respect your limits that you have specifically stated – Find out why, if it was a genuine accident, discuss. If they felt it was their right - Run!  
If your Dom refuses to use a safe word - Run!  
If your Dom ignores your safe word – Find out why, if it was a genuine accident, discuss. If they felt it was their right - Run!  
If your Dom refuses to use contraception or disclose their health/STD status - Run!  
If your Dom refuses to go to any educational workshops or allow you to obtain any educational information about BDSM practices - Run!  
If your Dom isolates you from your friends and family, saying that their dom-ship is the only thing you need now - They are manipulating you, it’s abuse!  
If your Dom wants to ‘play-punish’ you in your scene: If your partner hits you in anger, it is not a play punishment, it’s abuse!  
If your Dom will not listen to you when you are not comfortable doing something, and they try to force you to do it anyway/mock you for being ‘weak’ - Be wary, this is a big red flag!  
If your Dom wants you to sign over your possessions and/or money to them, because you are now theirs - RUN SO DAMN FAST IT HURTS.”

“He never did any of those things to me,” Katniss says softly. 

Prim sighs and rubs her head. “Can I keep this?” Katniss nods. “Have you talked to him?”

Katniss shakes her head. “He won’t call me or even answer my texts. It’s almost like our relationship never happened.”

“I’m sorry sis,” Prim offers and grabs her for a hug. Katniss can feel Prim stiffen and pull away. Prim puts her hand on Katniss’ stomach and asks, “Katniss? Are you?” Katniss simply nods. Prim asks, “What are you going to do?”

“I’m having a baby is what I’m doing.”

“Did you tell Peeta?”

“No. like I said, he won’t even answer the phone or call me back. This is my baby. I’ll have it by myself.”

Prim sighs. “I guess I could come home—“

Katniss laughs sarcastically. “The hell you will. I’ll be fine. And when I do need help, I have friends I can call on, besides, Hazelle is just down the street. Did you hear? Posy got into the School of the Arts?” 

“I know what you are doing. Stop trying to change the subject. And yes, I heard about Posy. Its great news. You could always move to Durham?”

“No. the house is paid for. I’m staying here with the baby. You are going to school. Even if I did move, you would be too busy to help me anyways. I also interviewed for a new job.”

Prim asks, “You did? Where?” 

“The company is called Snow Industries and they just bought Thirteen Hills Vineyard.”

“The vineyard, where we would go have picnics? Coin sold it?”

“She did, but I would be doing what I’m doing now.”

This time Prim laughs. “And what is that exactly?”

Katniss joins in the laughter. “I think everything that no one else wants to do. Just at Snow, they call it Manager of Operations.”

Prim throws her arm around Katniss’ shoulders. “I know that you are still mad at me. And I think I’m mad at me now too. But I think, even by yourself, you are going to be a great mom. And 3 hours isn’t that far away, just give me enough notice when you are going to need me?” 

Katniss rolls her eyes. “I’ll try.”

Kpkpkpkp

That evening, Katniss is trying to keep busy by doing a little cleaning, but she can't stop thinking about Peeta, for some reason. She can't seem to stop wondering what he is doing at that moment, if he is thinking about her. She also can't stop the bitter pang of jealously when she wonders if he has found another model yet. 

She throws down the scrub brush and stands up from where she was bent over the bathtub. She quickly washes her hands, so she can wipe the sad, angry tears that are running down her cheeks. She knows that even though she is having his baby, she really doesn’t have a claim on him anymore, but her heart refuses to listen to her reasoning. 

She hears Madge’s ringtone echo through the empty house and gratefully says, “Hello?”

“What are you doing?” Gale asks her. 

She wipes more tears away while she answers, “Cleaning, which is sad for a Friday night.” 

“Let’s go to Magnolia’s. Since you are knocked up and all, you can drive.”

“Ugh, Gale. That place is awful if you aren’t drunk.” 

“Come on. We can go there or go to Rue’s party,” Gale almost begs. 

“You just want me to go because I can't drink,” she huffs into the phone.

“Come on brainless, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get out of the house,” Jo says as she grabs the phone from Gale. “You know you want to go dancing.” 

“If I can find something to wear, I’ll go. And if you people throw up in my Jeep I’m going to be pissed.”

Madge comes on the phone. “I’m on the way. You can wear my red dress. You know, the one you like so much.”

“Fine. I’m getting in the shower.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.” Madge says.

Katniss hangs up the phone. She rubs the little baby bump and says, “Well, come on baby. Let’s go watch your aunts and uncle get drunk.”

She is drying off when she hears a knock on her bathroom door. “I hope to God that’s you Madge,” she says as she opens the door.

Madge is on the other side, nodding her head, holding out the dress. “I’m glad that you are coming too. You need to get out of the house.”

Katniss shrugs. “I figure one last time before I really start showing.” She accepts the dress that Madge hands her.

“I’ll be downstairs,” Madge says as she closes the bedroom door behind her.

The dress is a simple red halter dress with a high waist so her bump can still be hidden. When Madge first bought the dress, Katniss didn’t think she would like it, but the white bandana trim grew on her the more Madge wore it. She adjusts it, and is grateful for the extra room up top for her sore breasts, and a friend who doesn’t mind lending clothes. Next, she slides on her old boots she has had since high school, and her white fuzzy sweater to keep her warm. She hesitates for just a moment, but picks up the pearl necklace anyway and slips it over her head. 

 

She looks out her bedroom window and groans when she sees Gale pull up in his truck with Jo and another guy. She pulls out her braid, and quickly sprays the leftover waves, fluffing her hair around her face. A little bit of eye shadow and a few swipes of mascara complete her easy look. She really wants to stay home, but she also knows that if she goes they will stop nagging her about getting out of the house. 

She grabs her purse and joins everyone downstairs. “Gale, I was coming to pick you up. I don’t care how drunk you get, you aren’t staying here tonight.” That’s when the other guy turns and she sees who he is. “Hey, Brue!” She greets excitedly. He pulls her in for a quick hug and she asks, “Did the Marines finally let you come home for a visit? I thought you were in Africa fighting Ebola!”

He chuckles. “I just got home and now I’m on leave for a couple of months. Jo didn’t tell you?”

Katniss flushes embarrassed. “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, so if she told me you were coming home, I missed it.”

He throws his arm around her shoulders. “Jo figured you would want me to come out with all of you. Is that ok?”

Katniss returns her old friend’s hug. “It is. I’m glad you’re home.”

When she pulls away, he is blinking back tears. “I’m glad to be home too. I have good news.”

“Oh good, I need some,” Katniss tells him.

Brue reaches out and grabs Jo’s hand and pulls her close to his side. “When I go back in April, I report to Lejeune. I don’t have to go back to the base in Oceanside.”

Katniss can't help but to see the happiness on Jo’s face to have him so much closer and it feels good to be happy, even if it’s for someone else. “That’s great,” she says as Brue pulls them all in for an awkward group hug.

She watches Gale roll his eyes. “Enough with the mushy stuff. Katniss, we’ll just take the truck, ok?” Katniss nods and locks the door behind them. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss follows her friends into Magnolia’s. The antique oak bar that runs along the wall is a welcome sight as is the just shined dance floor. There are some couples already out there, swaying gently to the country song the live band on the stage is playing. The ginger standing behind the bar comes out from behind it and sweeps her up in a bear hug. She returns it, and says, “Hi, Darius.”

He sets her down. “Everdeen! Where in the hell have you been?”

Before she has a chance to answer, Jo, like only she can, pushes Brue next to Darius. Darius, of course, is excited to see Brue and forgets all about asking Katniss anymore questions. “Thank you,” Katniss whispers. 

Jo nods and leads her and Madge to a wrap-around booth, while the boys stay and talk. She isn’t paying attention to Jo and Madge talking beside her. Instead, her attention is on the couples who are on the dance floor. She doesn’t miss the way some of them hold each other. She can tell which ones who are just friends, because they dance a nice distance apart. Then there are the ones who are holding each other tight, and close. She can't help her thoughts when they wander to Peeta and what he might be doing right now as she plays idly with her pearl necklace. 

Snap, snap. “Hey brainless, Madge asked you something.”

“Oh, sorry. What?” Katniss says.

“You never did tell me what they said at your job interview.”

“They will let me know. I would actually have a job title, Manager of Operations. But it’s the same thing that we do now,” Katniss says.

“Any more money?” Madge asks.

“Actually, a little bit more.”

“Are they still hiring?”

Katniss laughs. “It’s not bad at Knotted.”

“It’s not. But it would be nice to get paid more.”

“Well it’s always nice to be paid more,” Jo adds. They look up to watch the guys walking across the floor to them. Gale and Brue carry several bottles of what Katniss recognizes as White Zombie from the brewery, and what she hopes is a glass of sweet tea for her. 

Madge echoes her thoughts when she says, “Gale, I hope that is sweet tea for Katniss.”

I haven’t forgotten that she can't drink.” He sets the tea down in front of Katniss. Then he grabs Madge by the hand as the band starts playing a cover of Luke Bryan’s “Country Man”. Gale quietly demands, “Dance with me.”

Madge gets up, acting like she is doing Gale a favor when she says, “You know, I only dance with you because of the way you move your hips.”

He kisses her soundly on the lips, which is the most affection he has ever shown Madge in front of their friends. “That is what I’m counting on,” he says as he leads her out onto the floor. 

“Well, hell,” Jo swears while Brue is laughing.

“I guess he is finally making his move?” Brue asks.

“It’s about damn time,” Katniss adds. 

Brue takes a long drink from his lager and Katniss can feel his gaze. She looks up at her old friend and asks, “What?”

“Tell me what happened,” he says quietly. 

“Do you really want to know?” she asks, looking down at her phone in her lap, not wanting to meet his eyes.

He gets her attention by clinking his beer bottle to her glass. She looks up and sees Brue and Jo both waiting. “It’s me, Everdeen. Talk to me.”

Katniss remembers back to not so long ago when they were still in high school. They, Brue and Jo, Madge and Gale, and she would just somehow gravitate towards each other. Different people through the years drifted in and out of their little group, but it was always them. They didn’t date each other, but somehow it was always Jo and Brue. When Brue announced senior year that he was joining the Marines, they were all happy for him, but Katniss could always see the sadness in Jo’s eyes. Several times over the years, when he would come home on leave, and from drunken confessions from Jo, Katniss knew that Jo wanted something more, but was afraid of a long distance relationship. Lejeune was still several hours away, but it is still a lot closer than California. 

So she begins to tell Brue what happened. How she went needed something else to help with Prim’s bills since Prim went to Durham, all the way to taking the pregnancy test. She is sure that Jo has already told him about going to the clinic, besides she doesn’t even want to think about how she almost gave away the new one inside of her. She doesn’t even realize that she is rubbing the bump until Brue grabs her hand.

The band just started a new song, so he pulls her up and this time it’s him asking, “Dance with me, Everdeen.”

Before she can look at her, Jo says, “I’m next McLeod.”

“Of course, beautiful,” he coos back at her leaving Katniss rolling her eyes through the tears that linger from her talk. 

Brue gathers her in his arms, and they start swaying like the old friends they are, to the cover of Gary Allan’s old one, “Man to Man”. She knows that he wants to say something, but before she gives him a chance to, she looks over his shoulder at a pair of stormy, Carolina blue eyes glaring at her from across the bar. 

Kpkpkpkp

“Finnick, I don’t feel like babysitting Ryan tonight.” 

“Please Peet! I need you to. I would take him out, but Annie isn’t feeling well. She only has a couple of weeks left and needs to rest. You know she won’t do that while he is here.”

Peeta huffs into the phone, “Fine. Tell your cousin that I’ll be over in a little bit.” He sighs and looks at the painting that he has been working on for weeks now. It’s her, but he can't seem to get the shape of her eyes right. He wants to go and look at the pictures he has of her again, but he is covered in paint. 

He pulls off his shirt and throws it into the washer and goes into the bathroom. His reflection catches his eye, and even he is shocked at how he looks. Its winter, so he is already pale, but the harsh light of the room makes him look even more pale. He must have lost some weight, because his sweatpants are hanging off of his hips. He quickly sheds them and steps behind his shower curtain. 

The hot water feels so good on his chilled skin that he just stands there letting himself enjoy the sensation. He quickly soaps up, and rinses off. When he passes the mirror again, he doesn’t stop to look but goes straight to his closet to grab the first jeans he touches, and a shirt that doesn’t have paint on it. Soon he is out the door, heading to Finnick’s. 

Instead of driving straight over, he takes the detour that he has driven so many times over the past couple of months. He turns onto Ruark and he slows as he passes her house. The Jeep is parked in the driveway and so is Madge’s car, but all the lights are off except for the kitchen light that she leaves on. He scrubs his face with his hands while he mutters, “Damn it, Mellark. Get your shit together. She deserves so much better than you. You have seriously got to stop this. You are starting to act like a fucking creeper.”

By now, he has driven down this road so often, he knows what vehicles belong to which house, so when he passes the brick house with the cars parked out into the street, he knows that there is a party going on. He doesn’t give them another thought as he now heads in the direction of Finnick and Annie’s house.

This time when he stops in front a house, he turns off his truck and walks up the walkway to Finnick’s front door. Before he has a chance to knock, the door opens and Annie grabs his arm. She pulls him into the living room and hisses at him, “Are you really going to go work for Cashmere?”

He looks down and toes the carpet with his boots. “I told her I’d be there in a month,” he says sheepishly. He looks up when she stomps her foot and pushes him away from her. 

“What about the studio? Why are you leaving your dream? What about Katniss? You need to talk to her.”

“Cash is giving me studio space that will be mine to do whatever I want to with.”

Annie swats his arm in frustration. Then she grabs him and makes him sit down with her on the couch. She takes his hands in hers and says, “I know that you two love each other. I watched you two fall hard and fast.” He tries to get up, but she pulls him back down. “I know that you are hurting. You can’t let what happened to you in the past effect your future anymore. Do you remember that night you and Finnick got so drunk on moonshine.”

He smiles faintly remembering the night. “Yeah, we sat up talking all night, and he passed out first.”

Annie turns to him and makes him look at her. “You don’t remember what you told me that night?” She waits for him to shake his head before she continues, “You told me how your mother would never hit you or anything, but you could always feel her criticize every little thing you would do, and how that would make you feel. And how she was always comparing you to your brothers.”

“Annie,” Peeta sighs. “I told you, I went to the psychologist years ago. I have all of that figured out.”

“You are running so hard, it’s taking you to the other side of the country to get away from her. You need to talk to Katniss. Please, before you decide to go help Cashmere?” Annie encourages him.

Before he can say anything, Cousin Ryan comes into the living room, followed by Finnick. Ryan looks at Peeta and Annie and hesitantly asks, “Is everything ok? Are we still going?”

Peeta gets up from the couch, and says, “Yeah, we were just talking.” 

Annie stands up too, and before Peeta follows Ryan to the door, she grabs Peeta. “You really need to talk to Katniss. Promise me?”

Peeta clears his throat, uncomfortably and says, “I will. Now you go rest and let me take the pup out—“

“Hey! You aren’t that much older than me!” Ryan exclaims.

“These days it sure does feel like it,” Peeta mutters making Annie and Finnick laugh.

Annie closes the door behind them and Finnick grabs her in a hug. He whispers, “We need to talk.”

“Those are never good words.”

He pulls away so he can look at her. “Why are you insisting that he needs to talk to Katniss?”

“You are doing the same thing. It’s not right how he left her.”

She can feel him watching her. “You know something. Fess up, woman,” he growls.

“You can't say anything to her,” Annie confides. 

“What is it?”  
Annie takes a breath. “Katniss is pregnant. Grandma saw it, and she took a test the day of the board meeting.”

Finnick lets out a low whistle. “And Peeta doesn’t know?” Annie shakes her head, and Finnick runs his fingers through his hair. “We need to tell him—“

“Oh no you don’t! If he does something stupid like actually try to go help Cashmere, then we will do something drastic. I think we do need to keep encouraging him to actually talk to her, and stop stalking her.”

“How do you know he is stalking her?”

“Because you two are more alike than you realize. And that is what you did that time we broke up.”

Finnick’s face turned bright red. “How do you know I did that?” he stammers.

“I would see your car drive by my house,” Annie admits as she grins at him. “Come on. Grandma is watching Haven, and I need to see what happens to Audrey.” 

“Who is Audrey?”

“Come on. I’ll rub your head and fill you in.”

“Yes, dear,” he says a little sarcastically. 

She swats him on the arm and leads him to the family room. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

“Oh fuck,” Katniss whispers.

Brue steps back to see what she is swearing about and follows her gaze to across the bar. She can feel Peeta’s glare and while part of her wants to go over and scream everything that she has been feeling, another part of her wants to go hide. Her hand settles protectively over her bump. 

“Who in the fuck is that?” Brue growls.

“That’s him,” Katniss whispers while they continue to stare at each other across the bar. Its only when Brue steps into her line of sight, almost to Peeta, pushing his sleeves up that she realizes what her old friend is doing. She grabs a hold of his arm and pulls him back. “Don’t, Brue.”

“I think I need to beat some sense into him,” Brue says menacingly. 

“No, you just got home. Darius will have to kick you out, maybe call the cops. He’s not worth it,” Katniss tells him. Then she says loud enough for Peeta to hear, “Besides he doesn’t want me anymore. Come on, let’s go back to Jo.”

Katniss is walking away when she hears, “Katniss—“ 

She whirls on Peeta, eyes blazing. Her words are stuck in her throat as she takes him in. She doesn’t miss his unkempt curls, or the dark rings under his eyes on top of hollow cheeks. He is pale and not full of life like he usually is. He opens his mouth like he is going to say something but she shakes her head at him and walks out of the bar. 

Someone calls after her, but she keeps on going, walking around back to where the dumpsters are. She has cried too many tears over him, but they run down her cheeks anyway. She gives Jo and Brue a weak smile when they come around the corner looking for her. “Can we go to Rue’s party now? I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Jo nods and says, “Let me go get Hawthorne and Madge.” And disappears around the corner.

Brue pulls her in for a hug while she asks, muffled, against his chest, “You didn’t beat him up did you?” 

He chuckles and says, “No. he grabbed the guy he was with and left.”

She doesn’t get a chance to say anything else when Jo shows back up with Gale and Madge in tow. When they don’t say anything, Katniss figures Jo must have filled them in as they all climb into Gale’s truck. She tries not to think about getting to see him, but it’s like her mind is stuck on repeat. The look in his eyes when he saw that it was her dancing with Brue stabs her in the heart. The knife twists when she remembers how much pain he was in when he said her name. 

She parks in her driveway, and is so glad that Rue just lives down the street from her. “Are we just going to walk from here?” Madge asks.

Katniss nods. “It will probably be easier.” They all exit the truck and she shivers in the cool February evening. “I’m going to run and grab some leggings, ok?”

She doesn’t miss the worried look Jo and Madge exchange. It’s Jo who volunteers, “I’ll wait and walk with you.”

“No, go ahead. Its three houses down the street. I’ll be there in a minute.”

It’s Brue who meets her eyes and gives her a nod while pulling Jo away. “You have ten minutes, Everdeen. Then I’m coming back for you.” He playfully teases as her four friends walk down the sidewalk. 

All of a sudden she feels tired as she lets herself in the house. She goes straight up to her room and in just a moment, the red, bandana dress is off and she is wiggling into his old sweatshirt that still faintly smells like him. She lets herself finally feel the emotions she has been holding back at seeing him again. 

She must have been sitting there longer than she thought when she hears the kitchen door open. She hears two sets of footsteps on the stairs as she wipes her tears. Silently, she watches Brue and Jo come in to sit on either side of her, on the bed. She lays her head on Brue’s shoulder, while Jo lays her head on Katniss’ shoulder. 

It’s Brue who breaks the silence when he says, “You should have let me kick his ass.”

Katniss starts to laugh, but then it turns into this horrible sounding sob. “Why doesn’t he want me? Am I so awful?”

Jo wraps her in a hug. “No, sweetie. He is a dumb ass for acting this way. And he is the one who is going to lose out on getting to be a dad. But you need to calm down, if you don’t, there won’t be a baby at all. Have you made your doctor’s appointment yet?”

Katniss nods. “I go Monday.”

“I’m off Monday, can I go with you to this appointment?”

Katniss nods again. “I think I would like that.” 

Kpkpkpkp

He watches her walk away from him, leaving him once again. He is left with a slightly taller- muscle bound guy who looks pissed. Before either one of them can do anything, Jo is there pulling him away, and Gale and Madge are approaching him.

“What happened?” Madge asks.

Peeta asks, “What are you doing here?”

Madge shakes her head, “Just getting her out of the house. It’s nice seeing you boss, but we need to go—“

“No, go ahead.” And without another word, they leave Magnolia’s. Peeta turns to Ryan, and says, “I’m drinking tonight.” And before Ryan can protest, Peeta orders a whiskey neat from Darius and Ryan finds a bar stool. 

“I guess I’m driving home tonight?” Ryan asks.

Peeta drains the whiskey and signals for another one. “Yes, I’m going to get very drunk tonight.”

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

He swims up from the deep sleep brought on by the alcohol. He feels fingers running through his curls and he wonders for just a moment if his Katniss followed him home after all. It isn’t until he hears the sweet voice of his adopted grandma saying, “My sweet, sweet boy,” that he remembers where he is. He opens his eyes to see her sea green ones, washed with age but still sparkling with love, watching him wake up. 

“Hey, Grandma,” he croaks at her. She doesn’t say anything, but hands him a glass of water. He smiles gratefully and sits up slowly, accepting the glass. He takes a sip and she joins him on the couch. 

She reaches out and takes his hand, pulling him closer to her. He slides over, and lays his head on her shoulder. He closes his eyes for a moment, enjoying the comfort that she has always given him. “What happened last night?”

He shakes his head against her, and murmurs, “I’ve messed everything up. She was there—“

“Who was there? Did you see Katniss last night?”

“She was at the bar. And she was dancing with someone else. She told them that I don’t want her anymore. But she has to know that it’s not true. I miss her so much.”

“Well, have you told her all this?”

“I can't. She is with someone else now.”

Grandma snorts a very unladylike snort. Peeta looks at her in surprise. “You don’t know until you ask. I know that your mother didn’t love you.” He opens his mouth but Grandma keeps on talking. “I know you have never right out said anything, but I can see the lost little boy look in your eyes.”

“I think she loved me, she just didn’t ever tell me.”

Grandma pats his hand. “After all these years, how many times have I told you that I love you?”

He can feel his face getting warm. “Too many to count.”

“How many times did I show you that I love you?”

He shrugs. “A lot.”

This time, she brings her hands up to his cheeks, and he can feel the strength in her touch. “When you love someone, you tell them, you do little things for them to show them the love. You don’t have to live your life forever thinking that you aren’t worthy of being happy. You deserve to be happy, and you deserve to have Katniss in your life. Don’t let her get away.” He wraps her in a hug. He can't help the tears that flow down his cheeks. 

“I don’t know what to do,” he whispers.

“Just go to her. Tell her how you feel. You know I consider you one of my own and I don’t like to see my babies unhappy.” She pulls away so she can look in his eyes again. “You don’t want to make your Grandma Mags unhappy do you?” she asks, wiping his tears away.

“No, I can't do that, you might disown me—“ 

This time she slaps his hand. “Don’t ever think like that,” she scolds him. “My love is unconditional. No matter what you do, or where you go, I will always love you. So will Finnick, and so will Annie. We are your family. You have to stop thinking that if you do something wrong, your people will stop loving you. We won’t.”

He kisses her on the cheek. “I have to go clean up.”

“Well hurry. I want muffins this morning, please.” 

He smiles and says, “That I can do.”

Kpkpkpkp

“I hate going to the doctor,” Katniss mutters under her breath to Jo as the walk in the door.

“Oh hush. I want to see my niece or nephew. Do you think he’ll do an ultrasound today?” Jo asks hopefully.

“I have no idea. This is my first pregnant mom appointment. Betsey on the phone was pretty upset that I haven’t been in yet.” 

“How many weeks are you now?” 

“Fifteen weeks? Dr. Oliver is so going to scream at me—“ 

Jo grabs her arms and whirls her around so she can face her. “I go to Dr. Oliver too. Hell, we played softball with his daughter, Daisy, for years. You know that he is one of the best OB’s around. He will do everything he can to make sure that cupcake here is healthy.” Jo lets Katniss go, and they go into the second set of doors. In just a moment, they are checked in and whisked back to an exam room. 

Before she has a chance to do anything, the doctor walks in behind them and closes the door. Katniss nervously sits down on the table while Jo finds the extra seat. 

“When are you due?” Dr. Oliver asks.

Katniss answers, “I think I’m about fifteen weeks. I know I should have been in here sooner—“

At this, Dr. Oliver waves her words away. “You are here now. Let’s go on to the ultrasound room to see what is going on.”

Katniss digs through her purse and finds the pictures from Dr. Aurelius and gives them to Dr. Oliver. “Those are from—“

“Dr. Aurelius’ office aren’t they?” he says gently. “What made you change your mind?”

“I heard her heartbeat. It’s so strong and wonderful.” 

He nods at her words and says, “Come on. Let’s go see what is going on.” The girls follow him across the hall. He pats the table while he turns on the machine. While Katniss lies down, he finds the right screen and Betsey, the midwife, joins them. They work together quickly, and soon they are all looking at the screen waiting for something to come in through the grey static.

“When is your due date?” Betsey asks.

“August eighth,” Katniss replies.

They watch as Dr. Oliver pushes some buttons and Betsey whispers, “He is measuring how big baby is.” Is this your first appointment?” 

Katniss swallows and nervously says, “I didn’t realize—“

“You’re here now.” Dr. Oliver says. “Babies are measuring right where they need to be.” He clicks some more, and they can hear the hum of a printer. 

“Wait a minute,” Katniss says, “Did you say—“

“Babies.” Dr. Oliver finishes for her. “Congratulations, Mama. Its twins.”

This time when Katniss is handed the pictures, she can see two little bodies, nestled together. She can see their little hands and feet clearly in this picture. Jo scoots closer so she can see too. 

“We are having two cupcakes?” Jo asks, excitedly. 

“I want Katniss to come back in two weeks.” He says to Betsey. “We’ll do another ultrasound then just to make sure everyone is still looking good.” He hands her a towel and says, “Get cleaned up, and I’ll meet you across the hall.” 

Once they are gone, Jo says, “I guess it’s time to go find Mellark, isn’t it?”

Katniss sighs. “Yes, I need to grow a pair and tell him what is going on.”

 

I know!!! And in case there is confusion… Twisted is the name of Peeta’s studio and rope business. Knotted Brew works in the actual name of the brewery. While they are separate businesses, Peeta and Finnick own both. Finnick helps with both, and Peeta only being a silent partner at the brewery with Haymitch being the actual boss at the brewery. But Finnick and Annie are becoming more involved with the brewery so they can be at home more since she is about to have baby O’dair! Thank you again!!!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, thanks to the work so many, here is what you’ve been waiting for, so I’ll keep this short. 
> 
> Thank you to wonderful sohypothetically, Norbertsmom and Lou. I have a new advisor on this, and that is the amazing Arden. She is really amazing! And to pughtwins for the future help she is going to be when she continues to advise me through being pregnant with twins! And thank you to my amazing pumpkin king for always being ready to read! 
> 
> Enjoy!

“No one calls me all day, but they call me now?” She mutters under her breath trying to juggle grocery bags to reach the phone in her purse. She finally sits the bags down and digs it out. It’s a strange number but answers it anyway. “Hello?”

“Is this Ms. Everdeen?” A deep, male voice asks.

While she picks the bags back up, she answers as she goes into the house, “This is her. How can I help you?”

“This is Chaff Johnson with Snow Industries. You interviewed last Wednesday with me for the job at Thirteen Hills Vineyard. The board met and they approved your application. Everyone agreed to offer you the job.”

“I got the job?” Katniss asks a little breathless with the realization that this is really happening.

“You did. I know Haymitch, and he is going to want you to work a notice which we understand. I need you to come back to Mooresville to fill out paperwork and to meet Mr. Snow. You will be working closely with him at times—“

“No that’s fine. I can come tomorrow? Or would Friday be better?” she asks. 

“Either day would be fine. If you want to, just call me or email me when you know what day you are coming.”

“I can do that. Thank you.”

“No, thank you, Ms. Everdeen. We know that you will do a great job with this vineyard.”

After they hang up, Katniss stands there for a moment, still surprised that she got the job. Despite what she told Madge, she will be making quite a bit more than what she does now. It will be more than enough to support her and the cupcakes. In a little bit of a daze, and puts up the groceries, and then sits down for a minute at the table. She pulls out her phone and sets it on the table. 

Despite seeing Peeta last weekend for all of five minutes, and telling Jo that she is going to call him to tell him she hasn’t. She picks up her phone, finds his number, and stares at his picture beside it. It the one she snapped of him one morning at this apartment when he first woke up with his bedroom eyes that still make her feel weak and his sleepy curls. She feels the pang of sadness, but pushes it away. She should call him, or at least text him, but she remembers that she needs to do a load of laundry and she has several emails she needs to answer. Soon, she distracts herself so that she forgets to try to call him until it’s well past nine o’clock. She knows that he would be awake and would answer the phone, but she can’t forget years of her mama saying that it’s just rude to call anyone that late. So Katniss puts it off until another day.

Kpkpkpkp

The next day at work, Katniss tries to walk bravely into Haymitch’s office where, thankfully, he and Finnick are already gathered. Both men look up at her in surprise as she steps into the office anyway. She closes the door behind her and asks, “Are you two busy?”

Haymitch smirks knowingly while Finnick simply shakes his head and motions to a chair. Her shirt twists a certain way showing her already rounded stomach. Katniss can't help but to smile when she sees the surprised look on Finnick’s face. 

“Annie told you?” Finnick answers her with a nod, and she continues before she loses her nerves. “I’m giving you my two week notice.”

She is met by silence that is long enough for her to look worriedly between them when Finnick says, “I wish you wouldn’t.”

Her hand automatically goes to her bump and she says, “I wish I didn’t have to either. But you know I can't stay here.”

“Chaff called?” Haymitch asks.

Finnick looks from Haymitch to Katniss in surprise. “Wait, you are going to go work for Snow?”

“He bought Coin’s vineyard. I’m the Manager of Operations.”

“Can I come and work for you?” Finnick jokes, before he sobers and asks, “When is your last day?”

She shrugs. “Two weeks? Do you want to just say Friday, March sixth will be my last day?” Both men nod when she asks, “Can I take off at lunch today? I need to run down to Mooresville.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I bet you are glad that the vineyard is here instead of two hours away in Mooresville.” Haymitch quips.

Katniss nods and stands. Together, she and Finnick walk to the door. He says, “We’ll see you later, Katniss.” and closes the door after her. 

Finnick sits back down, runs his fingers through his copper waves. “Well, hell. Annie is going to pitch a fit if I let her go. Grandma is going to have an even bigger fit.”

Haymitch sits back in his chair and gloats, “I told you she would do it. Are you going to tell the boy now?”

“I need to do something. He is packing to work for Cashmere.”

“He’s going to Seattle? Damn it. If he’s moving then there is no reason for her to switch jobs.” 

“I know, Haymitch! But he doesn’t need to be around Cashmere for a long period of time either. She will have him in black leather with too many slaves to count, or he will be her slave. He doesn’t need any of that. What he needs is Katniss and the babies.”

“Well you have two weeks and a day to convince both of them.” Haymitch says sadly. 

Kpkpkpkp

She dials Gale’s number as she walks out of the brewery. She doesn’t feel like driving all the way to Mooresville by herself, and she doesn’t think that he is patrolling today. He answers on the second ring. 

“What are you doing?” he always answers her calls that way.

“I’ve got to go fill out more paperwork for this new job--“

He interrupts, “You got the job? The job at the vineyard? When did you find out?”

“They called me last night. I’ve got to go to Mooresville, meet my boss, and fill out paperwork. Do you want to drive? I’m feeling a little tired.”

He is always ready for a road trip and replies, “sure, absolutely, I’ll be right there. I’ll drive my truck, ok?”

“I don’t care as long as I don’t have to get behind the wheel. I’ll fill it up for you.” 

“Let me jump in the shower and I’ll meet you at your house,” he says.

“Ok. See you in a minute.” 

Soon they are driving down the interstate. They don’t even make it to the county line before Katniss is asleep. Gale nudges her once and reminds her that her seat reclines. She snores again almost as soon as she hits the lever. 

“Katniss. Katniss, we’re here.” he says as he nudges her awake. She looks around groggily, shakes herself awake and looks around her. She recognizes the old fashioned antebellum mansion with its wide white pillars and shutters on the windows. “Is this the right place?”

She nods. “The GPS brings you right to it. Come on in with me. I don’t know how long I’ll be. Plus, this place scares me a little bit.” She pulls down the visor and wipes at the mascara smudges under her eyes. She doesn’t feel ready to go meet Snow until she fixes her hair. 

“Fine, but you owe me.” 

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Just don’t leave me alone.” 

Gale follows her in, and, as soon as she reminds the receptionist who she is, Chaff immediately comes out to greet them. They follow him back to his office. Katniss starts on the pages of paperwork, while Chaff and Gale talk about the vineyard. 

When she is finally done, she hands Chaff the stack of papers. He accepts them and says, “Let me call Snow and see if he is ready for you.”

They listen to Chaff murmur into the phone on his desk. He hangs up quickly, and says, “He’s ready. His office is upstairs.” 

They follow him up the wide, curving staircase. Katniss says, “This looks like something out of ‘Gone With the Wind’.”

“Mr. Snow says this staircase is why he bought this house.” Chaff stops in front of a door at the end of the hallway. He knocks quietly, and walks in after motioning for Katniss and Gale to follow him. 

Mr. Snow stands to greet her. Katniss introduces herself and says, “I am looking forward to working for you and with you,” Katniss says.

“I have heard many wonderful things about you Ms. Everdeen.”

Snow nods. “I trust you have turned in your notice at that brewery?” he asks. 

Katniss ignores the contempt she hears. “I gave it this morning. I trust that March ninth will be a good day to start?”

“It will. Is the pregnancy going to hold you back from doing your job?”

“No, it won’t at all.” 

She feels like Snow is looking down his nose at her when he says, “Good. I need your full cooperation.”

“Well I want the vineyard to produce good wine again, too,” She says. He gives her a look that makes her feel like he isn’t sure why she was hired. “I have the experience to make this succeed.”

“I hope so, Ms. Everdeen.” As soon as those words are out of his mouth, his phone rings as if on cue. “I have to take this, Chaff.” He completely ignores them as he answers the phone. Chaff quietly users them out of the room. 

“He likes you,” Chaff says as the walk back down the stairs.

“He does?” She asks, surprised.

“He does. He didn’t tell you to get the hell out of his office,” Chaff says with a smile. “Have a safe trip home, and I’ll be in touch before March ninth.” 

They all bid one another, good bye, and Katniss and Gale escape into the spring air. 

“That was weird,” Gale says.

“I know. I don’t really want to change jobs, but I really don’t have a choice. With this position, I’ll be making enough to support me and the cupcakes.”

“I still can't believe that you’re having twins.”

“You and me both.” They arrive at the truck and Gale pushes the button to unlock it. Before he opens the door, Katniss interrupts, “Do you smell that?” Gale breathes deep, and promptly sneezes. Katniss laughs at him. “Sorry, I forgot about your allergies. Do you smell the bakery?”

This time he breathes in, but not as deeply. “That smells really good.”

“Come on.” Katniss takes off, leading across the street. Gale follows. This time, when the bells above the door ring, Katniss knows what waits for her in the bakery. But when she sees another set of Carolina blue eyes, and the same blond curls, she has to remind herself that this is Peeta’s brother. 

“Welcome to Mellark’s. What can I get for you today?”

“Damn,” Gale whispers.

“I know. He wasn’t here last time—“ Before Katniss can whisper anything more, they see another person coming out of the back carrying an over-sized tray full of different kinds of breads. When he sits it down, Katniss sees that it’s Mr. Mellark.

He spies her and calls out, “Come on, in! I just got a fresh batch out of the oven.”

They both approach the counter and Peeta’s brother gets a bag with the Mellark logo from below the counter. He asks, “What can I get for you?”

Gale takes a moment to look at the goodies in the case, while Katniss tries not to stare at the Mellark men. “Say, weren’t you in here a couple of weeks ago?” Mr. Mellark asks her. “Wasn’t it to interview with Snow?”

She starts in surprise to him remembering her. “Well, I interviewed with Mr. Johnson. But I got the job. I had to come today to fill out paperwork and to meet Snow.”

Even she can tell that he is replying with false enthusiasm when he says, “That’s great, congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she answers. “Do you have some fresh cheese buns?”

“We do. How many?”

She shrugs. “How about six?”

Mr. Mellark looks at the clock and says, “It’s three o’clock. I have ten left. You can have the rest of them for the price of six.” 

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Yeah, it’s easier for me not to have any at all than just four.” He gives Gale the bag. “Anything else?”

Before she can open her mouth, Gale is stuffing his face with one of the cheese buns.

With his mouth full, he says, “These are almost as good—“ 

Horrified, she stomps on his foot to get him to stop talking. She steals a glance at the men who watch them with a puzzled expression on their faces. She smiles in embarrassment and says, “I’ve been trying to make cheese buns. They aren’t nearly as good as these.” 

“Well, you are a lucky man to have a beautiful girl like this one here trying to make you cheese buns. When is your baby due?” Mr. Mellark asks Gale.

Katniss can feel her face growing hot and she can see a flush creeping up Gale’s cheeks, too. She answers before Gale can say anything, “Just like you said you lost your son the other day, I’ve lost the father to this little one.” 

Sorrow fills Mr. Mellark’s eyes. “I am so very sorry for your loss.”

She isn’t sure if it’s sympathy or hormones but she has to blink fast to stop her tears. “Thank you,” She says, rubbing her belly. “I’m actually having twins,” she says through the tears. “They will be here around August eighth.”

He smiles gently at her and says, “I think you will be a terrific mother, but I’d like to give you some advice. Make sure that you show your love to your little ones, no matter what. I missed many opportunities with my boys, and I wish I had another chance. Right Rye?” He asks the other Mellark who is standing off to the side, listening to his dad.

Rye just shakes his head. “Would you two like anything else?” 

Katniss smiles and says, “How about some tiger tails? And oh, I need another loaf of bread. Do you have any more organic white? And how about some more cookies--”

“Katniss,” Gale, in a loud stage whisper, says, “Don’t order the entire store. I’ll have to go kill some squirrels or something to trade with them to pay for all of your bread.” 

The Mellark’s laugh together and Katniss pokes him in the side. “I can pay for my own bread, thank you. Now what else do you have with chocolate in it?”

Kpkpkpkp

Finnick pulls up in the parking lot of Twisted. He grabs Annie’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “I’m glad that you came with me today. I’m not sure how he is going to take this.” 

“I know. I hate that I promised her that we won’t tell him, but dear Lord they are taking too long figure this out on their own.”

Finnick sighs. “Well, come on. Let’s get this over with.”

They get out and walk, hand-in-hand, to the front door. As usual, it’s unlocked at this time of day. What they don’t expect is the loud, heavy metal music coming from inside. Annie follows Finnick carefully into the wide space and both are shocked at what they see. 

Hanging there somehow tied together are Clove and Cato, Cashmere’s prized pets. It’s a beautiful mess of arms, legs, and rope. Peeta has them suspended four feet off of the floor, which makes Annie whisper, “Is that safe?”

“I don’t know if anything he is doing is safe,” Finnick whispers back. They stand there for another moment watching Peeta tie his fancy knots while balancing on a step ladder. 

Finnick steps fully into the studio, and Annie sees Clove’s eyes light up in recognition. Peeta must notice as well, because he turns and offers them an easy smile that even Annie has to admit she hasn’t seen in a while. “I guess working is helping?” Annie asks.

Finnick motions to Cato and Clove. “Why didn’t he tell us they were coming out?” he asks Annie.

Before Finnick can say anything else, Peeta climbs down and approaches them. Before either man could say anything, it’s Annie who blurts out, “What are they doing here? I didn’t know you had a commission?”

Peeta runs his finger through his hair and smiles sheepishly. “Cashmere wants me to come to Russia with her. Their Rope-Fest is next month and she gave me Clove and Cato to use. They wanted someone to come and do couples bondage for them after they saw the pictures I did last year of you two.”

Annie nods and Finnick says, “That would be an interesting trip. I haven’t talked to you in a while because you won’t call me back. Are you still moving?”

Peeta slowly nods but doesn’t say anything further about the move. Instead, he offers, “I’m supposed to be out there sometime next week.” 

Annie and Finnick look around the studio together. There isn’t a single box packed. Before Finnick can say anything else, Annie volunteers, “Katniss turned in her notice.”

What little bit of joy that they saw when they first came in vanishes and is replaced by a look of profound sadness. “Did you tell her that she didn’t have to do that?”

Annie grabs his arm. “That’s something that you need to do.”

“She doesn’t want to see me—“

“Damn it, Peeta!” Annie shouts at him so she can be heard over the drums of Dragula. “I am so tired of you acting like this.” The music stops as the song ends and the silence is deafening.

“What would you have me do?” Peeta asks, defeated.

Annie looks around the studio and points to Clove and Cato. “First of all, get them down and dressed. Then you need to go to the brewery. Today. Not tomorrow, not next week before you leave. Today. If you are not there in two hours- and I’m only giving you that much time because I know how you are about your ropes- if you aren’t there in two hours, I’m coming after you. Got it?”

All Peeta can do is nod, and then turn so he can start untying Clove and Cato. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss sits in her office looking at the sales totals, when she catches a movement out of the corner of her eye. She looks out her door and sees the people walking on the other side of the office but can't really tell who it is, so she looks back at her laptop screen. It’s not until she hears Madge and Haymitch talking to someone outside her door that she actually starts paying attention. 

She gets up and walks to her door. Her breath catches when she sees that it’s Peeta talking to Madge and Haymitch. They are blocking him from walking into her office. “What’s wrong?” she says so they can hear her over their argument. She can't keep her eyes off of Peeta, and it seems that he can't keep his eyes off of her.

“He says that he wants to see you,” Madge says. “Are you ok?”

Katniss doesn’t miss the hidden question in her voice, but she is ready. She just wishes that it wasn’t going to happen at work. “I am. It’s ok,” she reassures Madge and herself.

Madge and Haymitch step out of Peeta’s way and she gestures him to come into her office. It’s not until he starts moving, that she notices Cato and Clove following him. “What are they doing here?” she asks, jealously creeping into her voice before she can stop it. 

Peeta winces and turns to the pets. “Stay out here. Don’t go anywhere.” And Katniss isn’t surprised when they quickly sit down on the chairs in the hallway. He then walks past her into the office. 

Madge meets her eyes in silent question. Katniss shrugs and eases the door closed, but doesn’t shut it all the way. She knows that Madge will wait just outside to make sure everything is going to be alright. She turns to Peeta, and it feels like her heart is going to stop beating. Every little emotion she has been feeling is there on his face. She can see the sorrow, the tiredness, the loneliness. She swallows hard and reminds herself that all this was his choice, not hers. “How are you?” she asks, her stomach tying itself in a knot while she wills her voice not to give away the way her heart is racing.

He wipes his hands on his pants, and won’t meet her eyes. It’s doesn’t stop the hurt when he won’t even look at her. “I’m alright. I just wanted to come by and tell you that you don’t have to quit working for Finnick. In fact, I know that Annie would love for you to stay.” 

When he finally raises his eyes to look at her, he watches her like she would imagine a thirsty man in a dessert would watch an oasis, hungry and unbelieving that she is really real. She doesn’t miss the way his eyes grow wide when she twists a certain way, but she continues anyway, “I’ve already gotten the job working for Snow. He bought Thirteen Hills Vineyard and I will be the new operating manager.”

This time he watches her so carefully, that she has to turn around to make sure there isn’t something behind her. He takes a step closer, and stops himself with a shake of his head. “I’ll give you a raise if you stay. You don’t have to worry about me coming around. I’m moving to Seattle next week.”

“You’re going to Cashmere? Is that why they’re here? Are they helping you pack?” This time, she doesn’t keep out the jealous undertones. 

“Clove and Cato are here to help me get some work done before I move. She is giving me a wonderful opportunity, and I look forward to working with her.” he replies formally, not giving away any emotion. 

Katniss sighs and runs her hand through her hair. “I’m glad that you came by. I need to talk to you anyway.” 

He raises an eyebrow in question and says, “What?”

She motions to the chair on one side of her desk and walks around to hers. “You might want to sit down.” They sit down together, and she reaches into her top drawer and pulls out her favorite picture in the world. She cups her hands around it, drawing strength from it before she says, “I’m pregnant.”

She looks up to see him do a double take that would be funny if she wasn’t so nervous. “You’re what?”

She lays the ultrasound picture on the desk and slides it over to him. “I’m pregnant. I forgot my pills in Vegas, and that’s when it happened.”

He looks at the picture before he slowly picks it up. He studies it for a long minute before he asks, “Are you sure?” 

“Yes. They are due on August eighth. “

“Wait.” He pauses looks closely at the picture again. “They?”

She nods. “I’m having twins.”

He can't seem to tear his eyes from the picture in his hands. “Are they mine?” 

“They aren’t anyone else’s,” she smarts back, anger putting a certain edge to her voice. She can't help the satisfaction she has when he flinches at her tone. 

“I am so sorry that I haven’t been there for you—“ 

She interrupts him, “No, you haven’t and now you are running away again.”

He shakes his head. “This changes everything.”

“What do you mean ‘it changes everything’?”

She watches him as he almost caresses the picture. He says in awe, “I need to be here to help you. You aren’t going to have to do this alone.”

She wipes her tears before he looks up to see them. “Peeta, I want to believe you—“

He finally looks back up at her. “I know that I’ve been acting like a dumb ass. I was scared, hell, I’m still scared that you are going to lose everything because of me.”

She doesn’t want to ask, but she does anyway, “Why did you walk out on me?”

He swallows hard, and runs his fingers through his hair, tugging hard on the ends. “I honestly didn’t know what else to do. It felt like I was ripping my heart out that night. Every time you called or texted—“

“Why didn’t you answer me? I just wanted to talk to you.”

“I don’t know. I still don’t know what to do. You can do so much better than me.”

“Do you remember what you said in Vegas?” He gets a confused look on his face. “You said that this is our relationship and we make of it what we want to. Someone said something and you gave up on us in a fraction of a second. You ripped my heart out, Peeta.”

He hesitates for a moment but stands up anyway. Her heart clenches when it seems that he is going to run away again, but instead he comes around the desk to her. He pulls her up gently, and into his arms. She has cried so much the past couple of months, and, just when she thought she was done crying, his touch, his embrace, and how much she has missed him washes over her. Tears flow unchecked down her cheeks, wetting his shirt but he doesn’t let go. She thinks she feels his lips on the top of her head.

They lose track of time, and only separate when Madge clears her throat from the doorway. “Is everything ok in here?” 

Peeta smiles and Katniss scowls at him. He sobers instantly and carefully asks, “Are we ok, now?”

“Do you mean are we friends? Yes, we are friends we have to be friends for the cupcakes. They are going to need their daddy, so yes, I want you to be here for them. Are you still going to Seattle?”

“Are you still going to work for Snow?” he challenges back. 

She glances to Madge who looks back at her hopefully. “Are you going to be there to help me with the cupcakes?”

“The cupcakes?” he asks.

“That’s what Jo calls them. Will you?”

“Marry me.” He says as he drops down on one knee.

“What?” she asks unbelievingly.

He reaches for her hand, and kisses her knuckles like he used to. She can't stop the warmth that spreads from his kiss. “Marry me,” he repeats. “That way you will know that I won’t ever leave you again.”

She pulls her hand out of his grip and takes a deep breath. “Peeta, you just can't come in here after two and a half months of silence and acting like I don’t even exist, and ask me to marry you just because I tell you that I’m having your babies. Babies are a stupid reason to get married anyway.” She pulls him up. When he stands before her, she continues, “I’m not saying that I don’t want you in my life. I’m not saying that I don’t want you there for our kids. Who knows what is going to happen in just a couple of months? Right now, as we stand here before each other, we are friends.”

He looks at her sheepishly and she sneaks a look at Madge. Madge gives her a big smile and a thumbs up. Katniss rolls her eyes, and returns her attention to Peeta who is watching the friends curiously. He carefully asks, “Are you leaving Knotted for Snow?”

She slowly shakes her head asks, “Are you going to work for Cashmere?”

He shakes his head. “She wants me to go to Russia with her next month for Rope-Fest. And that is all I have committed myself to.”

“That sounds like an interesting trip. Are you using Cato and Clove? Is that why they are here?”

Peeta nods. “They saw the pictures I did of Annie and Finnick. And I have a couple of things I need to get caught up on.” Now he looks around nervously, “Can I take you out to dinner sometime?” When she looks at him funny he continues quickly, “Just as friends. I want to know everything about the babies.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Text me in a couple of days. Now go. I have to go tell Finnick and Haymitch that I’m not leaving after all.”

Madge, who is still in Katniss’ office, cheers. 

Kpkpkpkp

Later that evening, Katniss examines the contents of her pantry and wishes she had stopped for Chinese on the way home. A soft knock comes from her kitchen door. She looks through the curtains and somehow isn’t surprised when she sees blond waves. She looks down at his hoodie and his boxers, sighs, and answers the door anyway. 

 

Peeta smiles shyly when she opens the door and holds up bags of Chinese as if he is holding up a peace offering. “Can we have dinner? It’s orange chicken and egg rolls.”

Her stomach rumbles in answer. “I was just wishing for Chinese! Come in.” 

He steps into the house, and sets the food down on the table. She turns and gets plates and they bump into each other at the silverware drawer. This time, it’s Katniss who smiles shyly and steps back so he can get the forks. “What would you like to drink?” she asks as she turns to get glasses out of the cabinet.

“Tea sounds good.” 

“Where are Clove and Cato?” she asks as she pours.

“I gave them the night off.”

“Well, as long as they don’t start playing with knives, you should be alright,” she quips.

He chuckles at her joke while he sets the table. They move together in a dance that they learned months ago, falling back into old habits easily. When they sit, they stop and stare at each other for a moment. “I’m glad you came by,” she admits. “And not just because you brought food. I do want the cupcakes to know you. I want them to be your babies, too.” 

“I wasn’t sure if you would even let me in,” he says while he pokes at his chicken. 

“If you hadn’t shown up at work earlier, I probably wouldn’t have. Or I would have at least opened the door so I could punch you in the throat,” She says seriously. 

He chuckles, nervously. “Well it’s a good thing that I listened to Finnick and Annie then.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“They came by the studio while I was working on Cato and Clove. Annie told me in no uncertain terms that I had to talk to you today.”

Katniss nods. “Did she give you a reason?”

Peeta shrugs. “Finnick said that you turned in your notice. Annie said I had to tell you that you didn’t have to leave.”

“So they didn’t tell you that I am pregnant?”

“No.” he pauses and stabs a piece of chicken. He puts in his mouth and chews slowly. “Did they know that you were pregnant?”

“Yeah, it was actually Grandma Mags who said I was.”

“How long have you known?” he asks, and she can hear the irritation in his voice. 

“I found out when I was eleven weeks. I’m now sixteen weeks.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” 

“You wouldn’t answer the damn phone! You wouldn’t even text me back!” She challenges back. She looks down at her plate, not wanting to meet his eyes. She guesses that he needs to know but she is nervous about telling him. “I almost didn’t keep them,” she whispers.

“What are you talking about?” He asks. 

She meets his gaze, and says, “I almost had an abortion. But when I heard one of their heartbeats, I couldn’t go through with it.”

He reaches for her hands and brings hands, he brings her knuckles up for a kiss. “We are here now, and we will do this together. Can I go with you to your next doctor’s appointment?”

She nods. “I would like that.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, this is the real chapter 17!!!! I promise!! It’s even from Peeta’s point of view. I still feel guilty about that note now. Please don’t throw anything… I still love you!!! And to prove it, this chapter is almost 6,000 words! 
> 
> I need to thank the usual helps... Norbertsmom you rock dearest! Arden for the insight, and my pumpkinking for reading. And to sohypothetically for always being there with a helpful word when I need it. 
> 
> I don’t own anything… the joke, the hunger games stuff doesn’t belong to me. But everything else does. 
> 
> I'm going to unlock this fic for a couple of days... yes, this one along with some other fics of mine were involved with the ebook crap. If you aren't a registered user, I encourage you today to do apply. They don't send you spam mail or sell you email or anything like that. These are good people. So join today!

He should be getting ready for Russia. He needs to be figuring out if he has enough rope to tie Clove and Cato safely in a suspension tie. He is fairly sure that he needs to call someone to see if he can even take rope through customs. He needs to dig a little bit deeper into the drawer beside his bed to see if his passport is current. He needs to call Katniss. 

But he doesn’t.

Instead he is staring, at a grainy, shaded grey four by six picture of what she assured him was his children. His children. His. 

He still can't wrap his mind around the fact that the love of his life is going to have his children. Not just one, but two babies. 

He thinks that is a nose he is looking at. He is fairly certain that those are feet. He wonders if they are identical. Are they boys? Are they girls? His heart clenches at the sudden vision of little chocolate heads- will they have her eyes, or his? It doesn’t matter, he decides. As long as they are healthy. 

He glances at his alarm clock, reading 3:30pm. He lays the picture down. Wiping his hands on his jeans, and he picks up his phone. He quickly finds the picture he took of her after he told her the stupidest joke he knew. He can still hear her musical laughter echoing in his ears. He smiles and touches the green phone icon to go ahead and call her. 

It rings, and just when he wonders if maybe she is busy today, she answers with a breathless, “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me. I’m sorry, are you busy?” he asks.

“No, its fine. I was talking to Madge and didn’t hear it ringing at first. What are you doing?”

“Can I still come to the doctor with you tomorrow?”

She sounds relived when she says, “Yes! I was hoping that you were still wanting to come. The appointment is at nine, and then I have to work.”

“What? You mean Haymitch won’t give you the rest of the day off?” he asks jokingly. 

She chuckles softly. “He offered, but I need to save some money for when I go on maternity leave.”

“I’m going to help you,” he reminds her.

“I know that you are, but we need to save as much as we can. How about if we just meet here in the morning? And then we can ride together?”

He nods, even though she can't see him, and says, “That sounds good to me. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Sounds good. See you then Peeta.” 

“Call me if you need me,” he offers.

“I will. Bye Peeta.” 

He sets the phone down, he may as well get some work done too. He walks out into the studio. “Cato! Clove! Come here, please.” They come from the corner where they set up their mattresses and keep their things. Before they can sink into the traditional slave pose, he says, “Come on guys. Let’s practice again for Russia.”

Clove approaches, with her head bowed. She whispers, “May I ask something master?”

Peeta tilts her head up so they can look each other in the eye. “I’m not your master. And you can say anything you want.”

Clove looks nervous as she glances at Cato and then back to Peeta. “Sorry sir. I was just wondering why don’t you have us get naked to practice.”

Peeta runs his fingers through his hair. “You know the answer to that. Until I fully figure out what I’m doing, it’s much safer to tie you with your t-shirt and yoga pants on.” He asks Cato, “Are you ready?” 

Cato gives him a nod and Peeta reaches for a skein of rope. He usually doesn’t mind touching them, but since he found out about Katniss, he feels like he is betraying her somehow. “Go ahead and tie each other in a basic chest harness. I’ll be right back.”

He goes into his apartment, and picks the picture up one more time. “I can't wait to see you two tomorrow.” He trails a finger over the grey outline of one of their faces. “I love you two so much already. I can't imagine what it’s going to be like when you are actually here. I need your help guys. Help me to convince your mama that I still love her and we need to be together. Please.”

Kpkpkpkp

He doesn’t mean to wake up so early the next morning, but he is too excited. Since it’s about an hour or so until dawn, he decides to go into the kitchen. He starts pulling ingredients out of the cabinets, and soon he has dough rising and the oven preheating. Old habits come back as he flours his wooden counter that he has just for when he is in the mood to do this. He kneads the dough, envisioning his babies and their beautiful mother as he works for them.

He divides the dough into two halves. He takes one of them, rolls it out thick. He picks up his doughnut cutter and soon has over two dozen ready for the grease he has warming up on the stove. In no time at all, he has the other half rolled out, and with just a couple of swipes of his knife, he has the dough divided into ten squares. He gets the cheese mixture that he keeps in his refrigerator, and spoons out a dollop on each square. 

With speed built up over years of practice, he has rolls tucked into neat little bundles, sitting on the pan. He puts his doughnuts in the grease, and buns in the oven. He stops to think for just a moment how while he was working to make something for his babies, that he had a smile on his face the entire time. 

Kpkpkpkp

He pulls up in the parking lot of the brewery and turns his truck off. Katniss’ car isn’t here yet, but Finnick’s is, so he goes on in and heads back to Finnick’s office.

“Peeta!” Haymitch calls out when he passes his office. He steps back and sees Finnick in there too. 

“What are you doing here, boy?” Haymitch asks.

He hands Finnick one of the packages he made of cheese buns and doughnuts. “I’m going to Katniss’ doctor’s appointment with her.”

Haymitch nods and says, “I’m glad that you two finally talked. It was worrying me that she was going to go work for Snow. I’m surprised he hired her knowing she is pregnant.” 

Finnick asks, “Why?”

“It doesn’t matter. She is staying right here with us. We can help her more than anyone,” Haymitch says. “I was starting to wonder if she was ever going to tell you that you had knocked her up, and with twins! Why, when Finn here told me that it was Grandma Mags who figured it out first—“

“Yeah, she told me all about that.” Peeta hears the door open and sees Katniss coming in. “I’ll see you two later.” They wave him out of the office. 

Katniss is getting ready to walk into her office when she sees him walking down the hallway. 

He reaches her, and says, “I almost think that you are happy to see me.”

She looks at the door in front of her, and opens her office. She doesn’t say anything but he follows her anyway. Right when he is starting to worry that he said the wrong thing, she says, “You have something that smells a lot like cheese buns.”

“You only want me for my food?” He hopes he is saying with enough fake hurt, that she doesn’t notice that he is asking for real. 

This time when she meets his eyes, she is smiling a genuine smile. “I’m a hungry, hormonal pregnant woman. Yes, I want you for your food.”

He shakes his head at her and doesn’t say anything. He does offer her the paper bag. She brings the bag up to her nose and inhales. Her eyes flutter closed and the only other times he would see the same look on her face was when she was coming. Another part of him notices that too, when it seems that all of his blood starts rushing to his groin. While she still has her eyes closed, he quickly adjusts himself before she sees just how hard he is getting. “You know, you can eat the cheese buns, too.”

She opens her eyes, and looks sheepish like she was lost in her own little world. “What time is it?”

He looks at the clock hanging up behind her. “Its 8:30.” 

“Crap. We have to go. Can you drive?”

“I guess so, why?”

She smirks. “So I can eat of course.”

They arrive at Dr. Oliver’s at about 8:50, or by the time Katniss ate three cheese buns, and finished her travel mug of tea. She glances at him and asks, “What’s wrong? Are you nervous?”

“Excited, I guess? You said that they are doing another ultrasound today?” She nods, and he continues, “I want to see them. Thank you for including me today.” 

She is climbing out of his truck. “Of course, these are your babies too.”

His heart warms a little at her words. He follows her to the old brick building and when he sees the sign for Dr. Robert Oliver, he quickly reaches the door before she does. 

She gives him one of her little tired smiles. “Thank you, Peeta.” 

He grabs the other door, propping it open for her. This time when she passes him, he doesn’t miss the faint, dark circles under her eyes, and the slight drooping of her shoulders. Without thinking, he pulls her close for a side hug. He whispers, “Are you not sleeping well?”

“I’m sleeping better than I have been.” She steps away from him, “Let me get signed in.” 

It takes her just a moment, and they are sitting in the empty waiting room. “Where is everyone else?” he asks.

“I told them that I either wanted the very first appointment of the day or the one right after lunch and this is what they gave me.” As if to prove her point, the nurse is calling her name. 

He stays sitting while Katniss gets up. She looks at him puzzled, and says, “Well, come on.”

“You mean I’m allowed back there?”

This time when she smiles, it warms his heart. “Yes, this is why you are here isn’t it?” He jumps up to join her, and together they walk to the nurse. 

After a quick stop at the scales, they are escorted into a room. He isn’t sure what to do next, so he watches the women from the doorway. Katniss goes ahead and sits down on the exam table, while the nurse sets her paperwork down. Then she comes over to him and with a gentle push, she moves him out of the way so she can shut the door. 

“Please,” she waves at the extra chair. “Sit down.” 

“Betsey, this is Peeta Mellark,” Katniss offers. She takes a deep breath and continues, “He is the father.” 

“It’s very nice to meet you, Peeta.” Betsey gives him a warm smile and opens Katniss’ folder. “I’m glad that you came for the ultrasound.”

“I would like to come for every appointment. That is if I’m allowed?” he asks.

He feels Betsey eyeing him and then she gives him a big smile. “Of course it’s allowed. You are more than welcome as long as it’s ok with Katniss.” 

“It will be,” Katniss says.

“Now,” Betsey says as she turns her attention back to Katniss. “You are eighteen weeks. How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Is Dr. Oliver not here today?” 

“No, dear. He is at the hospital. Have you started feeling them move yet?” Betsey asks.

“Is it time for her to start feeling them?” Peeta asks excitedly.

Betsey laughs. “You usually will feel them about twenty weeks. Right now, you should be feeling little butterflies in your abdomen.” 

Katniss pales. “I haven’t even felt that.” she covers up her face with her hands. “Oh no, I’ve done something haven’t I? It’s because I didn’t come in any sooner, isn’t it?”

Peeta stands up and walks over to Katniss so he can rub her back while Betsey pulls her hands away from her face. “Honey, listen to me. There are other things that you will feel guilty about when it comes to these kids. You not getting here any sooner is not going to be one of them. Now come on. We need to do another ultrasound. Let’s go wake up those babies.” Katniss stands up and Peeta can't help but to smile when she slips her hand into his. 

Betsy leads them into the room across the hall. “Go ahead and get comfortable. I’ll be right back.” And she disappears around the corner. 

Peeta watches as Katniss climbs onto another table, while he stands awkwardly at the door. “Come stand here beside me. You are too nervous.” she says. “Tell me a joke.” 

“Tell you a joke?” he asks with a smile. 

She nods. “Yes, please.”

He thinks for a moment. “I saw this one the other day on Tumblr. There are five hundred bricks on an airplane. One falls off, how many are left?”

She gives him a puzzled look. “Four hundred and ninety-nine.”

“What are the three steps to putting an elephant in a refrigerator?”

She giggles, “I don’t know?”

“Open the fridge, put the elephant in, close fridge. What are the four steps to putting a giraffe in a refrigerator?”

She chuckles and guesses, “Open the fridge, and put it in?”

“Close. Open the fridge, and take out the elephant. Put the giraffe in and,” she says with him, “close the door.”

They both have wide grins. He asks, “The Lion King is having a birthday party. All the animals attend but one. Which animal is it and why?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know?”

“It’s the giraffe. He’s stuck in a refrigerator. Sally wants to cross an alligator infested river. There is no bridge and the only way she can get across is by swimming. She swims across and makes it to the other side safely. Why?”

Katniss is smiling. “How did she do that?”

“The alligators are at the birthday party. Aren’t you paying attention to me?” he teases. 

She laughs. “That makes perfect sense.”

“Sally dies anyway. Why?” he asks. 

“There is no telling,” she replies.

“She got hit in the head by a flying brick.”

Her sweet and magical laughter, combined with his deep chuckle echo through the room. All of a sudden she stops and grabs the baby bump. 

“Ohmygoodness,” she says all in a rush.

He grabs her arm, and asks, “What happened?”

She doesn’t say anything, but instead moves his hand to a spot right under her belly button. Her hand lingers over his and together, they feel their babies kick. 

Before either one of them could say anything, Betsey returns. “What happened?”

“They moved,” they say together. 

Betsey grabs the wand, and smears the gels over the spot that she just shooed Peeta’s hand from. It only takes her a moment, and she has them in focus. Peeta doesn’t stop the tears that fall from his eyes as he watches his children roll around on the screen. 

He doesn’t realize that Katniss is holding his hand until he feels his fingers being squeezed. He looks down at her and she is looking up at him. Speechless, they look back at the screen. “What are you doing?” he asks Betsey.

Betsey keeps on clicking buttons and doesn’t turn around. “I’m measuring their heads to make sure they are growing.” 

She points to the screen and Peeta can see the circle around one of the heads. “How are they looking?” he asks. 

“They look good. I don’t know what you two were doing in here before, but they sure are moving now. Is this the first time you have felt them move like this?”

“I haven’t felt them at all until—“ She pauses for a moment. “Peeta started talking.”

Betsey is still doing something on the machine. “Well they were just waiting to hear their daddy.” 

Peeta doesn’t miss the stricken look on Katniss’ face. Instead of saying anything, squeezes her hand, trying to reassure her. Of what, he isn’t sure. 

Soon Betsey is handing them the pictures that she printed off for them while Katniss wipes the goo off of her stomach. “As much as they were moving, I still couldn’t get a good look as to whether they are boys or girls. Maybe next time. That’s all Dr. Oliver really wanted me to do today. Do you two have any questions?”

“No I don’t think so,” Katniss replies.

“I have to go to Russia in a couple of weeks. Can Katniss come with me?”

“She can if she wants to. She just has to be careful of what she eats and drinks,” Betsey answers while Katniss is shaking her head.

“I can’t go Peeta,” she says sitting up after pulling down her shirt. 

“Oh,” he says. He can't help but to think, why would she want to go with me when I left her? He tries not to sound hurt when he says, “I just thought it would be a neat trip for you and me.”

Betsey gets up and walks to the door. “I’ll meet you at the desk.”

As soon as she shuts the door behind her, Katniss turns to him and starts, “Thank you for asking Peeta, but I can't go.” He starts to say something, but Katniss continues, “It’s nothing bad. Just, I don’t have a passport. Besides, that is what, a $1500 plane ticket? If you want to spend that much on me, then let’s go pick out cribs for the cupcakes.”

Now, he understands. “Well let’s go then.” 

Katniss stands and picks up her purse. “What did you say?”

He can't stop his huge grin. “Let’s go pick out the cribs. And what else are we going to need? Changing tables? Strollers? Diapers?”

“I’ve got to go to work, Peeta,” she sighs. 

“Let me call Finnick. Will you come with me? Show me what we are going to need? Please?” 

She sighs and smiles. “Fine. But we are only going to look.”

He throws his arm around her shoulder and leads her out the door. 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s more than several hours later when he drops her back at her Jeep with several bags. He puts them into the trunk space for her and turns to say something. Instead of her still standing beside him, she is walking into the brewery. 

“Where are you going?” he calls after her, walking quickly to catch up with her. 

“It’s not even four yet. I’m going to see if I have any messages,” she says over her shoulder as she approaches the door. 

He catches up to her and makes it in time to hold the door open for her. “Why don’t you go home and take a nap or something. I know that you are tired. I saw you yawning, remember?” 

She ignores him and keeps going to her office and he follows behind her. They both nod hello to several people on the way. She goes into her office and he closes the door behind them. 

“Peeta. I need to get a little bit of work done,” She pleads.

“Katniss, I know that you are tired. I can see it in your face. Go home, lay down and I’ll bring you supper in a little bit.”

She sits down in a huff and says, “I can’t Peeta.” 

He wonders why isn’t she listening to him as he sits down in the chair across from her. He can see how troubled she is because she won’t meet his eyes, and the dark circles under her eyes are even more prominent. He asks, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to owe you,” she whispers.

He decides to ignore how her not wanting his help is breaking his heart. “How are you owing me? Is this about the registry stuff?”

She nods, but still won’t look at him. “I can't afford all of that stuff. And then what about maternity leave? You and Finn can't afford to pay me while I’m out.” 

“Katniss, why do you think I’m going to Russia?”

She finally looks at him and he can see the anguish there. “To do what we did in Vegas?”

“Cashmere is paying me a lot to go on this trip. You and the babies are the only reason why I’m still doing it.”

“But the cribs. And the car seats.” 

He stands up and goes over to her and hesitates for a moment. He knows that he shouldn’t do this, but he can't stand seeing her this worried anymore. He just knows that he needs to hold her, to comfort her. She looks up at him and he just wants to protect her when he sees her tears starting to form. He gently pulls her up and without a word, he sits back down and sits her on his lap. 

“Peeta—“ she says as she resists him. 

He doesn’t say anything, but starts to rub her back. She looks to him, and he can see the moment when she gives up the fight and accepts his comfort. She lays her head on his shoulder, and he hugs her tight. He is quiet, enjoying her being in his arms again. “I know, that I’m going to have to earn your trust back when it comes to us.” She starts to sit up, but he pulls her back to rest on his chest. “But I also know how tired you are. Right now, you need to take care of yourself, and the babies,” he coos with a smile on his face even though she can’t see it. “Can you trust me enough to let me help? Will you let me help you and the babies?” 

This time when she pulls away, he lets her, so he can see her face. He wants to cry with her when he sees the tears that are rolling down her face. He gently uses the pads of his thumbs to wipe them away. 

“I’ll allow it,” she whispers. 

Kpkpkpkp

That next Saturday, he drops off Cato and Clove at the airport. Since he isn’t moving anymore, Cashmere wants them to come back to her so she can make sure that they are “Show ready” as she calls it. He decided long ago not to ask and is glad that they aren’t sleeping in the back corner of the studio on air mattresses anymore.

It’s only nine in the morning, still early enough, so he calls Katniss. The phone only rings a couple of times before she answers with a sleepy, “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me. Did I wake you?”

“Oh crap its nine. I never sleep this late.”

“I’m sure you needed it. Can I ask you something?”

“What is it Peeta?”

“Do you want to go fishing?”

He hears the smile in her voice when she says, “You want to go fishing?”

He smiles a big goofy smile even though no one can see him. “I want to go fishing with you. Let me run by the apartment and get my stuff. How soon can you be ready?”

“Give me an hour?” 

“See you soon.”

Kpkpkpkp

In no time at all he has his stuff gathered up and is pulling into her driveway. The garage door is up, and he can see her moving around in there. She doesn’t look up, so he gets out of the truck and walks over to where she is looking into a cabinet.

She glances at him with a smile. “What are we fishing for today?”

He looks over her shoulder at the fishing poles lined up. He quickly picks out the salt water ones and the bass ones. What impresses him the most is the fly fishing ones? “You know how to fly fish?”

Her hand goes to her stomach. “They heard you.”

“What?” he asks.

She grabs his hand and puts it on the bump. It’s amazing and weird to feel the flutter kicks against his palm. He bends down so his mouth is closer to them, and says, “Hey babies. What are you two doing in there today?”

He looks up to meet her excited eyes at the flurry of movement they feel. “I guess they are awake,” she says.

“I think I could feel them all day,” he says. They stand there in quiet wonder as they feel the movements. 

She lets out a shaky breath. “They make me nervous,” she admits.

“They do?” She nods at his question. “But why?”

“I don’t know. I mean they are depending on me right now for everything. They eat what I eat, they breathe what I breathe. It will probably be easier when they are here where I can see them.” 

“Well let’s keep them in there as long as we can.” 

She takes a deep breath, and gives him a weak smile. “I need to do something. Let’s go fishing. Where are we going?”

He shrugs. “Where ever you want to.” 

She thinks for a moment, grabs her pole, and her tackle box. “Ok. I know where we can go.”

“Do you have everything you need?” 

“Yeah, let me lock the garage.” She pulls the door down after they exit. “What have you done with Cato and Clove?”

“Oh, I thought I told you. I put them on a plane to send them back to Cashmere.”

“But you are still going to Russia? Right?”

He nods as he sits in the driver’s seat. “It’s next week. It will be a neat, but weird trip.”

“What are you going to be doing in the show?”

“I think I’m just doing couple’s bondage. I don’t think I’ll be doing any workshops, but you know how anything can happen.” 

“Yeah, I remember,” She says strained.

When he hears her tone, he glances at her surprised, but she is looking out the window. He decides not to say anything about it. “You didn’t tell me where we are going?” 

She clears her throat. “Get on the four lane. We’ll go to Yancey County.” 

“Oh, I know where you want to go.”

“You do?” 

“Yes I do. How are you feeling?”

“You know about the Toe River?”

“Yes, it was one of the first places I found when I first moved here. How are you feeling?”

“I’m actually feeling pretty good, besides feeling like I could sleep for days. But that’s normal.”

“What have you been craving?”

“Cheese buns.” He joins in her laughter. Then out of the corner of his eye, he sees her looking out the window nervously. “Did you really mean that you would help me with anything I needed?”

“You know that I will. What is it?”

“I need to move some furniture around to make a nursery. I want to keep Prim’s room so she can use it when she comes home. That leaves my parents’ bedroom.” She takes a deep shaky breath before she can continue. He reaches across the truck seat and tugs her towards him. When she is beside him, she continues, “We never did clean it out. After they died, Prim and I just shut the door. Will you help me?”

“Don’t you want Prim to come and help?”

She shrugs. “She is so busy these days. Besides, we still aren’t really talking.”

“Oh crap. I didn’t mean to come in between you and your sister—“

“You didn’t. It sounds like I’m making excuses, but Prim has always been that way. Everything is either right or wrong. There isn’t any grey areas with her. All she saw is me being tied up, and thought the worse. She has apologized.”

“That’s good.”

“She still needs to apologize to you. You both are going to hopefully be a part of the cupcake’s lives. And I don’t want holidays to be this stressful event where I have to worry about if my sister is going to try to kill my children’s father.”

His heart falls a little bit when she calls him that. He knows that he needs to hurry up and fix this. He just doesn’t know how. “When do you want to start?”

“You’re going to Russia next week?”

“Leaving on Monday and coming back on Sunday.” 

“We’ll start after that.” She looks up and sees that they are already at the river.

“Can I paint?” he asks.

“Paint the nursery?” she asks. He nods and she gives him a small smile. “I think I would like that. What did you ever paint for Annie and Finnick?” 

“Do you remember that sunset after they got married? That’s what I painted. What would you like for the babies?”

“I don’t know. We have a couple of weeks still. Well, let’s go catch some trout for tonight,” She says reaching for the door handle.

“Trout sounds good. What about a small mouth?” he asks getting out of the truck.

They reach the back gate at the same time. “There isn’t any small mouth in that river,” she says.

“Yes there is. I’ve caught them in here.”

They get their poles and walk to the river bank. “Well, catch one.”

“Catch what? A small mouth?”

“Yep. Catch one and show me,” she teases. 

“I will but you have to go over there.” He nods to another spot away from him as he sets his stuff down. 

“Oh, don’t worry, I am not staying here.” She points further upstream. “I’ll be over there.”

He huffs. “That does look like a better spot.” He picks up his fishing pole and tackle box, and follows her. 

“What are you doing?” she asks with a scowl. 

He can't stop the smile that splits his face. Damn he’s missed her. He points to a spot past where she is headed. He brags, “I’ll still catch more than you!” 

“Damn it Peeta! Then you will get the fish before I do.”

“I guess we will have to do this together then?” he says laughing.

She joins in his laughter. “Whatever.” They cast their lines and wait. “You know, I could stay out here forever.”

“You do seem happier out here.” 

She smiles a quiet, peaceful smile that he’s never seen before. “If I could, I would be in the woods every day.”

“Really? Then why are you working behind a desk?”

She shrugs and reels in her line. Recasting, she muses, “After Mom and Dad died, we needed the money. It was the first job I found that paid well, and I didn’t have to wait tables. I’m not a good waitress.” 

“If you weren’t working at the brewery, what would you be doing?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess out in the woods with Jo?”

“Well, maybe one day you can,” he says as he reels in his line. 

Before he can recast, she gives her pole a tug, and start reeling in. He leans his pole against a tree, and comes over to her. It only takes her a minute, but soon there is a rainbow trout wiggling at the end of her line. She shoots him a satisfied smirk, and reaches for the fish. 

Peeta isn’t sure what happens, but Katniss gets a hold of the fish, and goes to get the hook out of its mouth. Before she can get to the hook, she is emptying the contents of her stomach on his boots. He quickly gets the fish and her pole while she watches him horrified. This time she is able to turn away from him before she vomits even more into the river. 

Somehow, he gets the fish off of the line and back into the water. He turns to Katniss, where she is sinking onto the river bank. He doesn’t miss how pale and shaken up she is. He quickly gets the bandana that he happened to stuff in his pocket this morning and wets it in the cold mountain water. He takes it to her, and lays it against her forehead, where she welcomes it gratefully. He wades into the river, washing off his boots. 

Once his boots are clean, he joins her under the tree, and she leans against him. He teases, “I guess the babies don’t like fish?”

“Shut up Peeta,” she says with a moan.

He doesn’t let her words bother him. “Let’s go home.”

“But you didn’t catch anything—“

He bends down, and gathers her into his arms. “I can fish anytime. Let’s go home.” 

She weakly sets her head on his shoulder. “Ok. Let’s go.” 

Once he has them and their stuff back into the truck, she doesn’t say a word. She scoots across the truck seat, lays her head on his shoulder, and quickly goes to sleep as he drives back to her house. 

As the miles pass under them, he watches her sleep out of the corner of his eye. He has missed her so much. 

He still can’t believe that she is having his babies. His… little buns, he thinks with a smile. He can't help but to think about his own childhood, how Mother would scream and pitch her fits. Then she would stomp off to her “den” she would call it and they would only see her much later smelling of the whiskey she thought she hid in the bottom of her cabinet. With fake smiles, she would tuck them into bed. It was with their own fake smiles that he and his brothers would greet their parents in the morning after listening to them fight all night. And how his dad, the one who was supposed to have protected them, did nothing until that day when she went after Bram. His perfect oldest brother who could do nothing wrong until he brought home his boyfriend from college. It’s only until Mother broke every dish in the house that Dad finally said enough. It was that night that she made Graham choose, her or Bram. Dad accepted Bram being gay, but he couldn’t choose me and ropes, Peeta thinks bitterly. 

Oh crap, he thinks. He can't be a dad. He can't help Katniss raise these babies. He runs his hands through his hair, pulling when he gets to the ends. These babies deserve so much more than what he can be. They deserve someone who earns an honest living, not one based off of someone’s fantasies. They need a dad who is going to hold them, who is going to protect them when they need it, but also let them go when it’s time. 

No matter what, he thinks, he can't walk away from her again. It would destroy him. Completely. Utterly. Destroyed. 

Katniss sighs in her sleep, and he loves it when she snuggles closer to him. 

There has to be some way for him to fix this. To get her back into his arms, to get back into her heart. Then, he hopes, everything will be good again. 

 

End notes… there really is a Toe river in Yancey county NC... its very, very cold but fun to fish in…


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here she is!!! 
> 
> I don’t know why, but this chapter was hard to write.
> 
> I need to thank Norbertsmom for all of her fantastic work and for my dear Arden for reading too. I also don’t own anything that has to do with the Hunger Games…

It’s Monday morning, and she is trying to figure out what Haymitch sent her to the storage room for. But for the life of her, she can't remember anything. “This must be mommy brain,” she whispers to herself. “Crap. Why can’t I remember?” 

She glances at the copy paper on the low shelf and goes ahead and grabs a pack. Then she notices a box of staples. She stacks it on top of the paper. “I don’t think this is what I came in here for.” 

She turns to walk out of the room, and she spies the order forms. “That’s what I need.” She grabs a pack and closes the door behind her. She covers up a big yawn and then smiles when she remembers why she is so tired. 

She was up too late last night talking to Peeta. 

She didn’t mean to do it but he knows that she can't resist Peking East’s orange chicken, and when he showed up at dinner time with those little take out containers, well she knows as well as anyone, she can't tell Peeta err- orange chicken, no. 

She offered to drive him to the airport, but he said that Finnick would because it’s a mid-day flight, and he didn’t want her to miss work. She rolled her eyes at him, and stuffed another bite of chicken in her mouth. In fact, if she remembers correctly, he should be landing in New York about now. 

She is officially twenty weeks pregnant now. The half way mark that she didn’t think she would ever reach. She rubs her stomach as she sets down the supplies and squeaks in surprise when one of them pushes back against her hand. “I feel you, baby.” She slides her hand to the other side and chuckles when there is a bump over there too. “I feel you, too.”

She can't help to remember how a couple of weeks ago she was so scared that they weren’t moving, and now she can feel their butterfly kicks all the time, especially when they hear Peeta. She picks up her phone, deciding to go ahead and text him, even though his plane probably has not landed yet. 

Katniss: I hope you have a good trip.

Katniss: Let me know when you get to New York. 

Katniss: Be safe. Are you there yet? 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s been years since he was JFK, and it wasn’t to get on a connecting flight to Europe. He walks past groups of people close to his gate, looking for his group while his phone buzzes in his pocket, distracting him. He pulls it out, continues walking towards the woman with long blonde curls, and looks at the screen. With just a swipe, he sees that Katniss texted him, and there are a couple of voice mails. Before he has a chance to read or listen to any of them, Cashmere, Clove and Cato are standing before him. Before he can say anything, someone slapping him on the back and turn him around. He breaks out in a huge grin when he sees Cinna and Portia standing there. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

Cinna, ever watchful of Portia, waits for her to smile before he says, “Cashmere arranged for us to go to Rope-Fest too. We let her arrange everything, so here we are.” 

“That’s great!” Peeta exclaims. “It should be a good trip. How much time do I have before we board?”

Cashmere checks her phone. “About thirty minutes. Where are you going?”

He waves his phone at them. “I have some calls to return and I’m going to grab something to eat. Does anyone want anything?” He waits for everyone to shake their heads or say no. Stepping away, he quickly reads Katniss’ texts. Instead of texting back, he decides to touch the send icon. It rings a couple of times, and he smiles when he hears a sweet, but rushed, “Hello?”

He doesn’t know why all of a sudden he feels so nervous. “I got all of your texts.”

She lets out a squeak and he can imagine her face growing red. “I wasn’t sure if you were getting them or not—“

“I just landed. Now I’m going to find something to eat.” 

“Aren’t they going to feed you on the plane?”

“That’s what Cashmere said, but I figured that it’s either going to be really good, or really bad.”

“That’s true. I’ve never flown to Europe, so I can't help you.” He can hear the smile in her voice, and it makes him mirror it.

“You had your chance for an all-expense paid trip to Russia.”

“Peeta,” she says, “I tried to explain it to you—“

“I’m teasing you. Can I tell you something?”

“Sure,” she replies.

“I would rather spend the money on the buns anyway,” he confides.

She lets out a soft laugh. “The buns?”

By now, he is walking by a news stand to see if they have any candy bars he likes. “I guess that is what I’ve started calling them. Is that ok?”

“Yeah, it is. I like it.” He can hear the smile in her voice again. “What time is your plane?”

He hears the call for boarding. “Oh crap. I’ve got to go.”

“Are you ok?” She asks worried.

“Yeah, I think they are boarding,” he says rushing back to his gate. In just a moment, he sees everyone looking for him. “Text me your email. I think the plane has Wi-Fi, so we can still email.”

He can hear how nervous she is when she says, “Ok, then. Be careful.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, worried now, too.

“Oh nothing. The babies are moving around today. Email me, ok?”

“Hey, Katniss?”

“What is it Peeta?”

He pauses for a moment, not sure what he wants to say, and he knows that saying it on the phone in the airport isn’t’ the right time either. “I’ll bring you something pretty.”

This time, when she pauses, it feels like an eternity. Then she says, “Just be careful and get home safe.” 

He answers her softly, “I will. Take care of yourself and the buns.”

“Bye Peeta.” 

He watches his phone turn itself off, and it’s only when he hears the stewardess at his gate announcing, “Last call for flight 8459 to Paris. Would the rest of the passengers for flight 8459 please board.”

He tucks his phone in his carry-on, digs out his boarding pass, and sighs looking at his empty hands. Muttering out loud to no one in particular, “I hope they have some good snacks. I’m hungry.”

He gives his pass to the agent and she studies it before turning to her computer screen. She gives him a polite smile, and starts clicking away on her key board, tisking in disapproval as she does. “I’m sorry to say this Mr. Mellark but there has been a mistake—“

“Oh no, what happened?” he interrupts.

“There is someone already in this seat.” She clicks some more. “I do have a seat in business class open. Can I offer you that one?”

Peeta eagerly nods and says, “Yes, please. Thank you very much.”

She smiles and waits for his new boarding pass to print off. Once she has everything together, she hands the papers back to him. “Have a safe flight, Mr. Mellark.”

“Thank you,” he offers before he starts down the ramp to the plane. He quickly finds his seat, setting his bag in the overhead bin. Before he sits down, he glances around the cabin, and sees that only a few seats are filled. 

The stewardess comes to help him close the bin. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yeah, I was actually upgraded because my other seat was already taken. Is there any way I can tell my friends what happened?”

“No sir, the pilot is getting ready to put on the fasten seat belt sign. Do you know what seats they are in? I can tell them.”

“Can I look and see if I see them?” He tries to give her his most charming smile. 

It must work, because she rolls her eyes at him. “Show me.”

He looks over her shoulder and sees them sitting almost in the middle of the plane. “There they are. Do you see the blonde who is looking at me? The one with the scowl?”

The stewardess chuckles. “I’ll go tell her. You sit down and get buckled up.”

He looks sheepish as he asks, “Can I get my book out of my bag?”

She teases him, “Are you going to be this difficult the entire flight?” 

He grins at her, while he is pulling down his bag. “Hopefully not.” As soon as he sits down, and buckles his seat belt, the pilot comes over the loud speaker. Peeta listens for a moment, and then starts reading his book. It’s not until the stewardess comes again, that he gets her attention. “When can I use my computer?”

“Wait until we are in the air if you would. Captain Smith will announce it.”

“Thank you,” Peeta says as she walks on down the aisle. He grabs his book, and instead of opening it right away, he watches the ground crew out his window finishing their work. He gets lost in their movements and it’s only when he sees the jet bridge moving away from the plane that he realizes how long he’s been watching. 

In just a moment, the plane is taking off. Peeta is watching eagerly as New York City grows smaller and smaller under him. He is excited but he feels sad too, at leaving Katniss. He can’t help the little prayer he whispers for his little buns. 

There is a ding-ding-ding that echoes through the cabin. First the pilot welcomes them, and then starts to go over the announcements. Peeta half pays attention, mostly listening for him to mention Wi-Fi. As soon as he does, Peeta can see everyone either opening their laptops, or reaching for their bags. He reaches for his cell, resting in his jacket pocket. He quickly types out an email, and smiles. It feels good to have someone, besides the Odairs, worried about him again. 

Kpkpkpkp

Her cell chimes with an email, and she doesn’t realize that she is smiling when she swipes her touchscreen so she can read it. 

Hey you,  
We are finally in the air! The greatest thing ever is Wi-Fi in airplanes!!   
We are landing in Paris around five a.m. so we can email all night!!! Are you still at work?  
Peeta 

She smiles and shakes her head. Then she types out a reply:

Ha-ha! You know I can't email all night. I’ll probably make it home and fall asleep on the couch again. I’m getting ready to leave work. But first, the “buns” want orange chicken again. What are you having for your “in-flight meal”?  
Katniss

His email chimes, and he smiles when he sees her email address. His expression changes quickly after he reads it. 

You are falling asleep on the couch when you get home? I knew you were working too hard. You need to cut back on your hours. I’ll email Finnick too. Did you get your chicken? I am having chicken lasagna. It actually tastes ok, but I would rather be there with you eating take out. How are the buns?   
Peeta

Because she is driving home, she doesn’t read his email until she is finally home. She is glad that she waited, because his message, well it makes her a little mad. 

Did you really email Finnick? Why did you do that? I’m twenty weeks pregnant. Hell yes I’m tired. You know that I have to work as much as I can. Please tell me that you didn’t email him.   
Katniss

He can’t help but to worry when he reads her message. 

No, I haven’t emailed Finnick. I’m still eating supper. I’m sorry if I have upset you. I just want you to take care of yourself. How are you feeling today? Have you eaten yet?  
Peeta

She puts the bite of rice in her mouth and listens mindlessly to Michonne killing walkers on the TV. She breathes a sigh of relief when she reads his email. She quickly replies…

I’m ok. I just finished the last bite. I know that you are worried about us, but we’ll be ok. We have to be so you can make us lots and lots of cheese buns when you get home. Cheese buns and walkers. I can't think of anything better right now.  
Katniss

He smiles when he reads her email, tries not to think the worst. So he types,

Walkers and cheese buns does sound good. Since I’m baking, can I watch them with you? You know how much I love Michonne.  
Peeta

When she reads his email, she realizes how her email might have sounded. 

Oh crap, I sound so selfish. Of course you can watch too. You know I love watching the gross walkers with you. And who knows, maybe I’ll fix something for you next time you are over…  
Katniss

She is going to cook for him? He remembers how they used to cook together and the emotion of how much he misses her hits him hard enough to take his breath away. He struggles for air, and gruffly wipes the rebellious tears that spring to his eyes. He types,

I would love for you to cook something for me. Remember when everyone ended up at your house and we made Lo Mein and egg rolls? Can we do that again? And of course, watch walkers.   
Peeta

She smiles at the memory, when everything with them was so very new. She misses him. She misses him so much that it hurts. She feels the now familiar fluttering in her stomach, and wipes her tears away. “I know cupcakes. Daddy will be home soon. I hope.” 

Hmm… egg rolls. I knew that I had forgotten something when I picked up the orange chicken. You know what else I’ve been craving? Cake. I know. I shouldn’t eat it, but I want a birthday cake. You know, yellow cake with the too sweet frosting.   
Katniss

Birthday cake? He will have to fix her one when he gets home. 

Birthday cake? I think I can handle that. Isn’t it late there? I’m surprised you aren’t asleep.  
Peeta

When she doesn’t answer him back, he knows that she must have fallen asleep. He emails her one more time,

You must be asleep. Sweet dreams. Rub the buns for me. I’ll email you later.  
Peeta

He then gets his blanket the stewardess gave him, and curls up and is quickly asleep. 

Kpkpkpkp

Wednesday…

I had a chance to talk to Cinna for a long time last night. I can’t stay here any longer. I’m supposed to stay until Saturday, but I can’t. I will let you know what my flight information is as soon as I get it.Take care. I’ll see you soon. I’ve missed you and the buns.  
Peeta

She tries not to get excited, but she can't help it. He’s coming home tomorrow. I wonder if he will let me pick him up at the airport, she thinks. She clicks the reply icon on her computer screen, but before she can start typing, Haymitch clears his throat from her doorway.

“Someone is here to see you,” he gruffly says.

She scowls at him. “Who is it?”

He comes on into her office with a woman following him. Katniss can’t help but to notice her resemblance to Prim when Haymitch says, “This is Dr. Arden. She is getting married in June, and wants to serve our beer at the reception. I need you to show her around and help her to figure out which beers she wants to serve.”

The women shake hands, and Katniss says, “I’m Katniss. Why don’t you go ahead and sit down, Dr. Arden—“

“Oh please, call me Ingrid.”

“Go ahead and sit down,” Katniss offers her the chair and glances up to where Haymitch is still standing in her doorway. “What?”

He smirks. “Nothing Everdeen. Make sure you give her the entire tour, sweetheart.” 

She scowls at him again, and returns to her chair. “Let me answer this email really quickly,” she says as she begins to type…

You are coming home early?!?!  
I’ve missed you too.  
Katniss

She sends it and smiles at her guest. “My sister is doing her medical residency at Duke. She hasn’t picked a specialty yet. Do you work at the hospital?”

Dr. Arden smiles. “I’m actually a psychiatrist. So I sometimes work at the hospital, but mostly at my office.”

Katniss reaches for her notepad and a pen. “That sounds like an interesting job.”

“Yeah, I’ve been able to help a lot of people.”

“Where is your fiancé?”

“He is working out of town this week.” Dr. Arden chuckles. “The only thing he requested for the wedding is pulled pork and your White Zombie Ale at the wedding. So here I am.”

“Well I can help you with the White Zombie part. What else are you serving and where are you getting married at?” she asks as she starts taking notes on what Dr. Arden is telling her. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss is on the way back to her office when Madge stops her. “What are you doing tonight?”

Katniss chuckles, “Probably sleeping. Why?”

“Let go out for dinner?”

“Really?” Madge nods and Katniss continues, “Only if we can go to Lulu’s. And if you will call Jo. And Brue. And Gale.”

Madge smiles. “I can do that. We’ll just head over there right after work, ok?”

“I’m already craving their turkey sandwich. Oh and their ranch dressing. You know they make it themselves, don’t you Madge? I wonder how it would taste mixed in with their honey barbeque sauce?”

Madge’s laughter follows the down the hallway…

Kpkpkpkp

At about 5:30 that evening, the sweetness explodes across Katniss’ tongue, making her moan in appreciation. She is on her third bite before she realizes that everyone else at the table is watching her with smiles on their faces. She returns their amused smiles with a sheepish one of her own. She wipes the mixture that she knows is on the corner of her mouth off and sips her tea, then she asks, “What has everyone been up to?”

“You know, the same ole, same ole,” Brue offers. “How are the babies?”

Katniss rubs her tummy. “Better now. When do you have to report for duty?”

“I have a couple of weeks left,” Brue answers. 

Gale asks, “What did the doctor say at your last doctor’s appointment?”

Katniss finishes the French fry she just put in her mouth before she answers, “He was at the hospital, and I was just there for another ultrasound. Betsey said they look good.”

“Could she tell if they were boys or girls?” Brue asks.

“I’m starting to feel like you are feeding me so you can ask me questions,” Katniss teases.

“It’s working,” Gale says with a smirk.

She throws a pickle she didn’t want at Gale. “No, we don’t know what they are yet.”

“I think they are girls,” Jo boasts. 

“Have you started thinking about names?” Madge asks.

“No, not yet. Any more questions?” Katniss asks the group.

“Just one,” Brue says. “Is Peeta going to help you?”

“I figured this is why you offered to pay. Yes, he has told me several times that he isn’t going anywhere now,” Katniss says.

“Have you told him about meeting his dad and brother yet?” Gale asks.

“What?” Jo squeaks. “You met his family? When? Why didn’t you tell me? Have you told him?”

Katniss looks down at her food. All of a sudden, she has lost her appetite. She looks up at her friends. “This sounds really bad, but I don’t know how.”

The table is silent for a long minute before Madge asks, “What are you afraid of?”

Katniss shrugs, but inwardly, she asks herself the same thing. What is she afraid of? She and Peeta are just friends now. She ignores the way that thought makes her heart feel, so why is she still worried about his feelings towards her? If she tells him that she did meet his family, is he going to leave her again? Would he be so upset and mad at her? Or would he even care? He only mentioned them a couple of times, so did that mean he didn’t think about them anymore? She thinks, as the crazy hormones bounce around her brain. 

“Brainless! If you don’t wake up, I’m going to eat your food,” Jo tells her. 

She doesn’t say anything, but gets another drink of her tea. This times its Brue who says, “Have you talked to him about how he hurt you when he left on Christmas?”

Katniss pushes her plate away. She certainly isn’t hungry anymore. “We are just friends. That stuff doesn’t matter anymore—“

“That’s bull-shit and you know it!” Jo interrupts. “I know you. Every time you see him, that Christmas morning is right there where you can’t forget it. Even if you never touch him again, and your life is nothing else but worrying about the cupcakes when they are with him, you need to talk to him. But I know that it’s just a matter of time before he is your bed again. You both fell too hard and too fast to stay away from one another.”

Katniss doesn’t say anything, but rests her elbows on the table, and rubs her temples. As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, Jo is right. Just how in the hell, is she going to talk to him about all this? 

Kpkpkpkp

Its early Thursday morning, while she is brushing her teeth, that her phone starts ringing. She doesn’t waste anytime grabbing it off of her bedside table, hoping that it’s Peeta. Instead she sees Annie’s picture on the caller id. She goes ahead and accepts the call, and says around a mouth full of toothpaste, “Hang on.”

Once she has rinsed, she answers, “Hello. What are you doing?”

Annie pants, “I’m having a baby.”

Katniss chuckles. “Yes, dear. I am too.”

Still panting, Annie says, “Now. I’m having the baby now. Baby is coming now.”

“Oh, crap! Where is Finnick?”

“He is here,” she pauses and Katniss can hear her taking a deep breath. “Can you come to the hospital? Finnick is scared. Grandma can't stay there all day, and my family is on the other side of the country. Please, you have to keep me and Finnick distracted because Peeta is gone.”

“Yeah, I can. When are you leaving for the hospital?”

“The contractions are still seven to ten minutes apart. Can you come to the house? Please?” Annie begs.

“Yes, I told you I would. Let me get some clothes and stuff together, and then I’ll be over there. Oh, and Annie?”

“What, Katniss?”

“You will be great,” she reassures her friend. 

Katniss can almost hear her smile. “Thank you friend.”

Kpkpkpkp

They have been at the hospital now for several hours, and Annie is progressing slowly. Katniss would rather be anywhere but here, and has even said that Prim should be here, not her. Annie just smiles through the labor pains and says, “But I wanted you.”

When her phone rings at ten p.m., with Peeta’s face on the caller id, Katniss can't help the big smile that spreads across her face. “Hey you.”

A very tired Peeta echoes, “Hey you. I’m in Atlanta, about to board a jumper to Asheville.”

“You are that close?” she asks, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. 

“I am. I’m surprised you weren’t asleep.”

“Hmm no, I’m actually at the hospital.”

“What?” He asks, unable to keep the panic out of his voice.

Before he has a chance to say anything else, Katniss says, “Annie is in labor. She called me, and I think I’m taking your place of trying to keep Finnick calm, but it’s not working.”

He chuckles. “He is excited. Oh no.” 

“What’s wrong?”

“Finnick was coming to get me at the airport. I guess I’ll have to call Haymitch—“

“No you won’t. What time do you land?”

“Ten? It’s about an hour flight.”

“I’ll be there,” she says.

Kpkpkpkp

The good thing about Asheville being a small airport compared to others is Katniss doesn’t have to guess which flight is Peeta’s. There is only one flight landing at 10:00 pm from Atlanta and its passengers are coming through luggage claim right now. 

She sees his curls that are sticking straight up before she sees anything else. His tired Carolina blue eyes light up when they land on her standing there beside the wall, out of the way of everyone looking for their bags. She waits for him to come to her, and when he is finally within reach again, she can't stop her arms from reaching for him. He hesitates for a moment, before he reaches for her too. 

He smells like the artificial air that airplanes pump throughout their cabins, but even underneath that, she catches his unmistakable scent. The one that reminds her of long winter nights wrapped up in his arms; of home. She pushes him away before she does something like kiss him, or tell him that she still loves him. 

He looks at her with oh so tired eyes, and she doesn’t give him a chance to say anything when she asks instead, “Do you want me to take you home or do you want to go to the hospital? I think Finnick needs you.”

He readjusts his carry on and smiles tiredly. “Let me get my suitcase and we can go find Finnick. After all it’s not every day a new Odair comes into the world.” He pauses for a moment, and raises his hand like he wants to touch her growing baby bump. She smiles at him and nods, not having to say a thing. He lightly touches her, and is rewarded when there is a little nudge under his palm. This time the smile she sees is a proud one.

He looks at her questioningly before he quickly kisses her on the nose, then he sets down his carry-on and asks, “Will you wait right here?”

She nods and watches him turn around and approach the luggage carousel. He talks to a couple of people standing there, and she smiles thinking of how he always makes friends wherever he goes. He grabs his suitcase, and comes back to her.

“Let’s get out of here. I’m tired of airports.” 

She picks up his carry-on, and he holds out his hand so she can return it to him. She rolls her eyes but gives it to him anyway. They are silent until they are outside on the sidewalk then Peeta pauses for a moment, and takes a deep breath. When he exhales, she recognizes the big smile on his face. “You know, nowhere else in the world smells like North Carolina.”

She shakes her head and starts walking to where she parked her Jeep. He quickly catches up with her, nudging her shoulder. She unlocks the SUV, and he puts his luggage in, while she starts it. In just a moment, he is sitting beside her and she is headed in the direction of the hospital.

“Well, tell me. How was Russia?” she asks as she steals a glimpse of him in the passing street lights. She doesn’t miss how haunted his face looks with the light and shadows playing across his skin. 

“It was interesting.”

“Oh no,” she chuckles. 

He joins in her laughter. He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs, “It was bad. So bad.”

“What happened?”

“Well first, when I got there, we checked in and all that. Well, I go up to my room, and you won’t believe what was waiting on me.”

“What was it?”

“It wasn’t really a what, but a who. I opened my door, and there on her knees was a naked, collared slave.”

She tries to ignore the jealously that flames to life. She’s just glad that she is driving so she doesn’t have to look at him right now. She clears her throat, and reminds herself that they aren’t together anymore. So he can do anything he wants to. “What did you do?”

“I told her that she had to go. Before she left, she explained that she was to be my slave for the rest of the week, including being my interpreter. So I told her to go get dressed and then I could use her help. Anna helped me many times over the past couple of days.”

Katniss silently drives on to the hospital, but inwardly she is screaming. A naked slave girl? Who are these people and why would they do that?”

“What else happened?” she asks, not wanting to talk anymore about Anna.

“The demo went well. No one got hurt.”

She smiles. “That’s always good. What else happened?”

“You mean besides naked slave girls?” She rolls her eyes, even though he can't see her. He chuckles. “I had a nice long talk with Cinna.”

“Oh yeah, you had said he and Portia were there too. How are they?”

“They are good.” Before he has a chance to finish, Katniss pulls into the hospital. She quickly parks, but before she can get out, he grabs her hand. “Can we talk after a while?”

She looks at him, puzzled. From the parking lot street lights, they can see each other’s face clearly. She doesn’t miss his nervous but troubled look. “I want to. Let’s go check on Annie—“

“And then find a quiet spot?” he asks.

“Yes, a quiet spot.” They get out of the Jeep, and he follows her up to the baby wing.

“Is this where you will be having the buns?” 

She nods. “Yeah, this is the place. I just hope I don’t have to have a C-section, and they will give me a chance to push them out.”

He throws his arm around her and pulls her in close for a hug. “We have to trust that Dr. Oliver will do what’s best for you and the buns.”

She pulls away and gives him a weak smile. “Come on, she is right down this hall.” 

They walk by the nurse’s station when one of them, calls out, “Hang on! You’re here with Annie Odair, aren’t you?”

“Yes, is something wrong?” Katniss asks, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. 

The nurse with Brittany on her name tag smiles reassuringly. “While you were gone she asked for an epidural, so she could get some rest. The last time I was in there, she was five centimeters dilated and sleeping along with her husband. I’m going to go in and check her in a hour.” She smiles at Katniss. “You are what, twenty-five weeks?”

Katniss touches her stomach and doesn’t miss the way Peeta, proudly says, “She is twenty weeks. Its twins.”

“That’s great! Congratulations!! Come with me.” Brittany steps out from behind her desk. She goes across the wide hall to an empty room. She turns on the lamp, and turns off the too bright overhead light. “You need to rest. I’ll come and get you if Annie needs you.”

“Oh no, I can't take one of your rooms—“

“Yes you can. We keep this one open for family like you. Laydown and rest. And when they wake up, I’ll tell them that you are here.”

Peeta steps forward, and makes introductions, “I’m Peeta and that’s Katniss. Thank you. Hopefully you will be our nurse when it’s our time.”

“You never know. Now get some rest you two.” And she leaves, closing the door behind her. 

Katniss looks around the room, wishing she had a change of clothes. She isn’t paying attention when Peeta surprises her when he comes up behind her and starts rubbing her shoulders. She can't stop the moan that escapes. She hears him chuckle and he whispers in her ear, “Why don’t you get comfortable?”

She twirls on him so quickly, that he is the one surprised. “I’ve missed you and all that, but we are not having sex!”

He throws up his hands, and stammers, “That isn’t what I mean at all! I know that you are tired, and need to rest.” This time she doesn’t miss the sheepish look on his face when he admits, “I wanted to tell you what Cinna and I talked about.”

She can feel the embarrassed flush climbing up her cheeks, and she covers her face with her hands. “Oh, crap. I’m so sorry Peeta! I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions.”

He steps forward and pulls her hands away from her face. He then gently kisses her on the nose, and tugs her to the bed. He pushes her down to sit and kneels at her feet. Before she can tell him to get up, he is easing her shoes off. He then finds the bed controls and gives her a fake evil smirk. She giggles as he starts pushing buttons and she feels the foot of the bed going up into the air. 

“Quit that,” she snorts.

He gives her sad puppy dog eyes, and she feels the bed going back down. He then pushes another button and the head of the bed rises, stopping at what looks like a comfortable spot. She scoots back, and motions for him to join her on the narrow bed. 

“You want me to join you?”

She simply smiles, and pats the bed beside her. Somehow, he climbs into the narrow hospital bed with her. They lay there, almost nose to nose, smiling tiredly at one another. “Russia was awful,” he says.

She reaches out and touches his hand. “I’m sorry.”

He bites his lip and she knows that he is feeling nervous about something. She draws circles on the top of his hand and he whispers, “It’s not the same.”

“What’s not the same?” she whispers back.

“I used to enjoy going to shows like that, to meet new people and all that. This time though, I just wanted to hurry up and come home so I could be here with you.” Before she can say anything he requests, “Just let me finish before I realize how tired I really am and can't ever say this again. I know that whatever this is now between us, it will never be what it was before Christmas. Hopefully we can build it into something better and stronger.”

“I’d like that.”

“When we got there on Tuesday night, we were all too tired to sleep, well at least Cinna and I were. He came over to my room and we had some real Russian vodka. Now realize that Cashmere already told them that you are pregnant. She can keep a secret, but not one like that. Anyways, Cinna started telling me about his life. Did you know that he was married before he ever met Portia? They were married for about ten years and living in New York with their two kids. He was working for one of the big fashion houses up there and making quite a name for himself. Well as you can imagine, he was working all the time, and didn’t see the family that much. Well one weekend, his wife and kids went up to Martha’s Vineyard to a vacation house they had rented for the summer, and Cinna was on his way to meet them.” Peeta takes a deep breath. “The way he described it was awful. He drove upon the wreck and all he remembers is seeing their van turned upside down on the interstate. He said that the paramedics had to knock him out to get him into the ambulance. He woke up in the hospital. They had all died, and the doctor later told him that his wife was pregnant with their third baby.”

Katniss gasps, “Poor Cinna! That’s just awful.” 

Peeta nods. “After he finished telling me his story, he was quiet for a while. Then he looked at me, and said, ‘Peeta, you put Katniss and those sweet little babies first, no matter what. Even if it means that you leave this for a while. This will always be here. But your family, well you never know, you could turn around one day and everyone could be gone. Now is the time that you have with them, not later.’”

Katniss is silent for a moment, trying to think, but almost too tired too. “But what does that mean, Peeta?”

He tucks a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “It means that I will do whatever it takes to get you back. If you want me to quit doing ropes,” he smirks at her. “I think I can be happy tying you up for the rest of our lives.”

“You are going to quit doing ropes? But what will you do then? Go take pictures of weddings? Be a baby photographer? Go help me at the brewery?”

“You know, those are actually pretty good ideas.”

“I’m kidding, Peeta.” 

“I’m not. I’m not sure of a lot of things in this life, but I do know that I love you. And I’m willing to do anything it takes to be with you and to raise our buns. Now I know that you are still scared, hell, I am too. I don’t know what is going to happen if I quit doing the rope stuff. As long as I have you, I can accomplish anything.”

“But I don’t want you to give up ropes. You seem so happy doing it.”

“I was happy doing it, because I was falling in love with you. I also told Cinna what happened at Christmas.”

“Oh no,” Katniss groans.

“That’s what he said.” Peeta takes a deep breath, and then starts, “He said that we should go to therapy.”

She nods. “That sounds like a good idea. I knew I liked Cinna.”

Peeta smiles along with her. “He even knows a doctor her in town.”

“You know, I met one the other day. She is getting married and wanted several cases of our beer.” 

They say at the same time, “Her name is Dr. Arden.”

Their tired laughter echoes around the room. “Go to sleep,” he says, as he rubs her cheek. “I’ll wake you when the nurse comes to get us.” 

She covers a big yawn, and closes her eyes. He watches her until her breathing evens out, and then closes his eyes, so he can join her in their dreams about babies.

That is how Finnick finds them a couple of hours later. He knows that Peeta has traveled all night to get to them, and he sees how tired Katniss has been. So he goes back to his bride, and together they bring a sweet baby girl into the world, who they name Margaret Grace Odair, which naturally turns into Gracie.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another one of those chapters that has taken a village to get it to you. First of all, I need to thank “Peeta’s therapists”, ardensescape and smartalexy. They are two amazing ladies and honestly if it hadn't been for their knowledge, part of this chapter wouldn’t have happened. 
> 
> Then we need to thank Norbertsmom for checking over eighteen pages of story. And then my sweet pumpkinking and the amazing dandelionlass for reading and noticing the little things!
> 
> Thank you dear reader for returning!!

Even Katniss has to admit that Margaret Grace Odair is one of the prettiest babies she has ever seen. Annie is asleep. Peeta went with Finnick to go get some things from home, along with some take out for them to eat. So Katniss sits and rocks the new little one. 

She catches Gracie’s hand, not at all surprised by her tight grip. She brings the baby’s knuckles up to her lips and presses a kiss to them. “You are so sweet,” Katniss coos. “What do you think of this great big old world, baby?” She can’t help but to smile as Gracie looks into her eyes. She must be feeling a surge of mothering hormones because she feels like she would be perfectly content to sit here and cuddle her all day. 

Katniss pulls her close, and brings up her other arm so she can rub the light strawberry blonde curly fuzz on top of her head. Gracie turns her head towards the touch, and opens her mouth wide. “You’re getting hungry, aren’t you?” She is awarded with a newborn baby grunt. She glances up at Annie, and instead of her being asleep, she is awake and watching the two of them with a sleepy smile on her face. “She is getting hungry. Are you ready for her?”

Annie yawns, and giggles. “I don’t think I have a choice, do I?”

Katniss smiles. “I’ve got her until you are ready.” 

She waits for Annie to try to arrange herself, then she hands her Gracie. Annie tries to get Gracie to latch when she looks at Katniss in frustration. “What in the hell am I doing? Go get me a bottle for her.”

“Can I try something?” Katniss waits for Annie to nod, then she picks up the biggest pillow and sets it across Annie’s lap. Then she lays down Gracie on top of the pillow. Gracie looks up at her mama and opens her mouth while she turns towards Annie. “See if that works.”

“I hope it does,” Annie wishes as she picks up Gracie, guiding her to her nipple. 

Katniss watches them, and smiles when Annie smiles in relief. “I think she found it,” Annie whispers.

“Don’t move,” Katniss warns.

“I’m not going to,” Annie says. The friends sit in silence while Gracie eats. After just a moment, Gracie lets go with a loud smack. “Oh no. She needs some more.”

Katniss sits at the end of the bed. “Maybe offer her the other one? I don’t think you have much at all right now, anyway.”

“It will take a day or two for your milk to come in.” Katniss and Annie both jump and they look up to see Brittany, the nurse standing there with a big smile. “How is Gracie?”

“You scared me!” Annie exclaims. 

“I knocked, I promise. I didn’t hear anything and was a little worried.” 

They watch Annie, as she tries to encourage Gracie to start on the other side. “Everyone watching is making me nervous,” Annie fusses. “There, I think she has it.”

“Sorry about that,” Katniss apologizes. 

“How can I tell if she is getting enough to eat?” Annie asks.

Brittany says, “You should be able to feel your breasts going soft. I know it sounds weird at first, but you will learn how to tell. And if you want to hurry up and get your milk to come in, you can feed her, and then pump.”

“Does that really work?” Annie asks.

“For some people it does. The best thing to do to get your milk to come in, is to let her nurse. A lot. Oh, and her dirty diapers. Right now, the greenish- black tar poop, that’s meconium. After she gets all of that left stuff from you out, it will turn yellow, seedy like. That’s breastfed baby poop. And she will poop the yellow poop several times a day.” Brittany says.

Katniss quips, “I guess I need to start buying baby wipes now?”

The ladies laugh, and its Brittany who says, “It probably wouldn’t hurt. When are you due? In a month?”

“Oh no,” Annie says. “She is having twins. You’re only what, twenty weeks?”

Katniss nods. I still can't believe I’m having two.”

“Twins are easy. I have triplets,” Brittany says.

“That’s amazing!” Katniss pauses for a moment before she asks, “Can I ask you some questions? Things have been so crazy, and I haven’t had a chance to ask my doctor yet.”

Brittany smiles and pulls up a chair. “Yes, ask away.”

“How am I going to give birth? I mean, will I automatically have to have a C-section? Will I get to try to have them by myself?” 

“Who is your doctor?” Brittany asks. 

“Dr. Oliver,” Katniss replies.

“Oh yes! Betsey will actually be up here with you. Especially since you are having twins. As for you having them, if they are head down, then yes, we want you to push them out.”

Annie smiles at Katniss while she rearranges Gracie, who just finished up nursing, so she can burp her. “I know that we can’t wait to meet them, and I’m here to help you anyway I can—“ She is interrupted by a big burp from little Gracie. The women laugh together.

“It sounds like a party in here!” Finnick announces as he come strolling into the room, followed by Peeta. Katniss stands up, so Finnick can get to his family, and Peeta motions her to come stand by him. 

“Shhh,” Annie hushes as Finnick comes over for a kiss. “I just got Gracie to go to sleep.” 

Brittany stands up. “It looks like everyone is good in here. Just ring for me if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Annie says.

“Do you mind if I head home?” Katniss asks. “I need a shower.”

“Oh, yes. Go. I’m fine now that Finnick is back. You still have to take Peeta home, don’t you?” Annie asks.

“Let me get her home Annie. Then I’ll worry about getting to the studio.” Peeta offers. “Who knows, Katniss might let me crash on her couch?”

Katniss chuckles. “If you are nice enough, I might let you sleep in Prim’s bed.” She then walks over to Annie. Katniss gives her a kiss on the forehead, and a side hug so she won’t wake up Gracie. “She is beautiful, friend. You did good.”

Annie gives her a smile, as Peeta comes in for a hug too. After they all tell each other bye, Katniss follows Peeta down the hallway. They are quiet, until they reach her Jeep. “Let me drive,” Peeta offers.

She tosses him her keys, and gratefully settles into the passenger seat. He pulls out of the parking lot and she asks, “Do you want to go home? I can drive myself home.” She can't stop the yawn that encourages her to close her eyes. “Or you can stay with me. Whatever you want to do.” 

He keeps his eyes on the road, but she can hear the question in his voice without seeing it on his face. “Is it ok if I stay with you? I’ll sleep on the couch if you want me to.”

“It’s always ok for you to stay. Besides, when we wake up, I think your babies want some of their daddy’s cheese buns,” she says with a smirk.

“Oh they do?” he asks. She nods. “I think I can do that.” 

She can feel the Jeep slow down and knows that they are turning onto her street. “I’m ready for a shower and my bed. Do you have clean clothes?”

He pulls the jeep into her usual parking spot. “I do. Are you hungry?”

“Always,” she says with a grin. 

They walk into the house, and Katniss says to Peeta, “I’m going to go jump in the shower. You can use the other shower if you want to, or wait for me to get done.”

He looks in the refrigerator. “I’ll wait for you. What do you want to eat?”

“Is there anything in there?” She comes over to look over his shoulder but not really seeing anything.

“I can throw something together. Go get cleaned up.” 

She kisses him on the cheek and turns and runs up the stairs before he can say anything. It isn’t until she is in the shower starting to relax, when the emotions of the last several hours hit her. Tears run down her cheeks along with the water as she thinks about what Peeta told her the night before. She is too tired to really think about what he meant and too exhausted to ask him about it. Tomorrow, she promises herself. 

The tears turn happy when she remembers how it felt to hold Margaret Grace. “I can't wait to meet you guys,” she says while she rubs her baby bump. “I’m still not sure how it’s going to work with two of you, but I know that Daddy will be here to help.” 

She can’t help but the giggle when she feels the familiar bump against her fingers. She turns off the shower and grabs a towel. “Come on kiddos. Let’s go see what Daddy found for us to eat.”

After throwing on a pair of his old boxers, and her favorite hoodie that also belongs to him, she brushes through her wet hair, letting it dry on its own. She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and has to stop to look closer. Her skin- well it looks the best she can ever remember. Her eyes are bright, though even she can see how tired she really is. Her hair even seems more healthy than normal. “This must be the pregnancy glow people talk about.”

“You are always beautiful,” Peeta says from the doorway, scaring her so bad she throws her hairbrush at him, hitting him in the nose. 

“Oh, crap! Are you ok?” she asks as she pulls his hand away from his nose. It’s red and she is horrified when she sees a trace of blood. He still isn’t saying anything when she drags him into the bathroom and grabs a washcloth. She is starting to worry because he isn’t saying anything while she wets it and tries to put it on his nose. “I am so sorry—“

He chuckles taking the washcloth from her and putting where it hurts the most. “One day, I’m going to learn not to sneak up on you.”

“I can’t believe I did that. Do you want some ice?”

“You can kiss it and make it better?”

She rolls her eyes and pulls the wash cloth away. Then she uses a corner of it to wipe the blood off of his upper lip. Their eyes meet, and for a very long minute, silver meets Carolina blue. The love she sees there makes her palms sweat, so she gently kisses his nose where she hit it with the brush and steps away from him, handing him the wash cloth back. “Something smells really good. What did you find to make for us to eat?” she asks as she buries her hands in the big pocket of the hoodie. 

He sighs and turns so he can look at himself in the mirror. “It’s not as bad as it seems.” He sets the wash cloth down on the counter after he washes it out. “I found some stuff for soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.” 

“Are you sure that you are ok?” 

He kisses her on the end of the nose and lingers close like he wants to do more, and she can’t say that she doesn’t want him to do so much more. Her breath and her heartbeat quicken when she thinks about what he could to her right now. She sees his lips moving, and decides that she needs to focus on what he is saying. 

“—can you eat tomato soup?”

She nods her head like she heard everything he just said instead of imagining his nice, big, hard cock. She hasn’t forgotten how perfect his cock is. Is her mouth watering because she’s thinking about having him in her mouth again? She swallows hard, trying to think about something else besides him. “Yeah, I love tomato soup. Let’s go eat.”

Katniss beats him down the stairs where she stops when she sees that he has set the table and even found the old fake flowers that her mom would put out in these months before the real flowers started blooming. Her stomach growls in appreciation. 

“Let’s feed those buns,” he says behind her, and when she whirls around to glare at him, he laughs. “And the baby mama. We always have to feed the mama.”

Soon they are seated, and she says in-between bites, “This is so good.”

He smiles, watching her eat. “Thank you. Do you remember Seneca Crane?”

She pauses with the spoon of soup half way to her mouth. “He’s the one who wanted the Christmas pictures, isn’t he?”

Peeta nods. “You don’t remember him at all from Vegas, do you?” She shakes her head and he continues. “He is older than us with black hair and a beard. But what makes him unusual is how he wears it. He shaves it into different shapes.” 

“He does what?”

“He was in Russia.” Peeta sets down his spoon and starts drawing imaginary lines on his face. “He trimmed it here, had swirls here, and here.”

“Oh that’s funny and weird. Why does he do that?”

Peeta shrugs. “Ever since I met him a couple of years ago, its different every time I see him.” He coughs nervously before he starts again, “He asked about you in Russia.”

“Well, that was nice considering I had never met him before.”

“Somehow he found out that you are pregnant,” he says with a strain in his voice. 

“You said that Cashmere told a lot of people that you were going to be a dad. I’m sure there are many who are surprised.”

“There is something that I didn’t tell you about Crane.”

“Well, what is it?” Katniss asks, not liking where this is going.

“He has a crush on you.”

“Oh, that’s all? Is there anymore grilled cheese?” she asks looking past him towards the stove.

He grabs her hand. “Katniss, look at me. You don’t understand. Crane is, well he wants you.”

“But he can’t have me.”

“No, he can't,” Peeta agrees. “But since he can’t have you, he wants me to take more pictures of you.” 

“But I’m pregnant.”

She doesn’t miss the worried look that crosses his face. “He wants me to take bondage pictures of you while you are pregnant.”

Katniss sets down her spoon and reaches for her tea. She takes a big gulp, not sure how she is supposed to feel. “But we can’t do that can we? I mean that’s why you hired me in the first place, because Annie couldn’t do it anymore.”

He nods. “That’s what I told him. Then he started offering me money. I mean a lot of money, Katniss. I, of course, told him no. I’m not risking you or the buns.”

“How much money? That sounded awful. Would it be enough so I could stay out of work for say, a couple of months? Could I stay out for four months?”

Peeta shrugs, and she gets up to walk over to get some more tea. She can't help but to think how this would help with her leave. She would be able to stay home longer and not have to rush back to work. He already had those Christmas pictures of her, what would this hurt? She says, “Let’s do it.”

She turns to watch him, and she loves the fierce determination that appears on his face when he stands up and says, “No. Absolutely not. I will not put you or the buns in any kind of danger.” 

She looks up at him when he comes to stand in front of her. “How about if you just use a simple column tie or something, tie my feet and hands. Then I can stand or sit down and you can drape the rope over me.” 

“Katniss—“

She grabs his waist, and puts the crown of her head on his chest. “Ok. I won’t say anything else. This means that I’ll have to go back to work sooner.”

“Katniss—“

“I’ve still got to think about who is going to watch them when I do go back—“ 

“Katniss—“

“Oh, God who is going to want to take care of our babies? How am I going to stay up all night feeding them and then go work for eight hours?”

He grabs her by the shoulders and tilts her back so she will look into his eyes. “Fine. We’ll do it.” 

“What?” 

He kisses her on the nose and then brings her in for a hug. She calms instantly at his touch and can feel herself relax. “The money would help—“

This time when she leans back, she frames his face with her hands. “I trust you. I know that you will not do anything to hurt me, or the buns. How much is he offering to pay?”

“Ten.” 

“Ten dollars?”

“Ten thousand.”

He has to catch her when her knees buckle. “He must really like us,” she says.

“He thinks he is in love with you,” he says, and she can hear a note of jealously in his voice. 

“I don’t even know him.” She wants to change the subject and she notices that it’s one o’clock. “Let’s go take a nap.”

“Do you want me to sleep in Prim’s room?” 

She can't say what she really wants to say, so instead she whispers, “I want you to hold me. Please?”

He grabs her hand, and kisses her knuckles. Together they walk up to her bedroom. 

Kpkpkpkp

After making some phone calls, Peeta starts therapy with Dr. Arden the next week. Katniss was going to go with him, even if she had to wait in the waiting room for him but Peeta asked her to let him go alone to the first one, and then she can go when he is ready. So instead she sits at her desk on that Tuesday morning trying to look busy, when in reality, she is looking at baby rooms on Pinterest. 

She loses track of time looking at how many shades of pink you can paint a room when her phone starts ringing beside her. She quickly answers it when she sees that it’s Dr. Oliver’s office. 

She hears Betsey say, “is this Katniss?”

“Hey, it’s me.”

“It’s Betsey from Dr. Oliver’s office. I know that you aren’t scheduled to come in until Friday, but Dr. Oliver has decided that he wants to go visit his daughter in Florida. Do you want to come on in this afternoon, or tomorrow?”

She glances at the clock on her wall. Peeta should be finished with therapy in a little while, a trip to her doctor might help after a first therapy session, she thinks. “Give me the latest time you have?”

“Can you be here at four?”

“Yeah I can do that. See you then.”

 

Kpkpkpkp

“It wasn’t that rough of a session. It was just mostly me telling her about my other therapist,” Peeta says.

“Well that’s ok. You have to start somewhere, don’t you?” Katniss asks as Peeta opens the door for her. He follows her into the office.

“Yeah,” he sighs. “I thought I was done with dealing with the past.”

Katniss stops and turns before she goes into the second set of doors. “You will never be done dealing with the past until you face it and then you can put it behind you.” She pulls him into her arms, giving him a big hug. She whispers in his ear, “Don’t be discouraged. You can do this. Do it for you.”

He hugs her back, and by the way he shakes for a moment, she thinks that he is crying, but when she looks into his eyes, she sees instead how tired and weary he is. “Come on,” she nudges him. “Let’s go see our babies and then we’ll go eat. Oh, can we go get barbeque? Lulu’s has the best. Did you know that they make their own ranch dressing? And if you mix it with their honey barbeque sauce it is unbelievable.”

She loves it when he finally smiles at her. “Yes, I will feed you.” They walk through the second set of doors and on to the desk. “Do you want to take it to your house? It’s not Chinese, but we can eat and watch walkers.”

Katniss nods and smiles. Before she can say anything, Betsey meets them. She grabs her file, and Katniss knows to follow her. In just a minute she is weighed, and being led to the ultrasound room. While Betsey is typing away, Katniss asks, “I guess we will be doing every appointment in here?”

“Well, we want to see what these little ones are don’t we? You know, since we couldn’t tell last time.”

“That’s today?” Peeta asks.

Betsey nods while Katniss gets comfortable on the exam table. “How are you feeling?”

“Hungry,” Katniss admits. Peeta and Betsey laugh while Katniss says, “You try feeding three people. You would want to eat all the time too.”

“Well let’s see how they are growing,” Betsey says as Katniss lifts up her shirt, and Peeta helps her arrange the drape so the gel doesn’t get on her pants. After applying the gel, Betsey swirls around below her navel with the ultrasound wand and everyone smiles when the babies come into view. “They are measuring twenty-three weeks.” She looks at something on the screen and then says, “And you are twenty-three weeks. Good job, Mama.”

Katniss can't help but to smile when she sees the babies moving on the screen. Peeta grabs her hand and together they watch them wiggle for a moment. “Can you see what they are?” Peeta asks.

They both watch the screen as Betsey zooms in on the baby she typed in as baby A. “is that—“ Katniss asks.

Betsey smiles, “It is,” as she types. Then she goes over to who she typed in as baby B. This time it’s Peeta who is asking, “is that also—“

“It is. Congratulations Mama and Daddy. The babies look beautiful and healthy.” 

“Really? Everything is there?” Peeta asks.

Betsey chuckles. “Yes, it seems everything and everyone is there. Do you two have any questions?” 

Peeta asks, “Where is Dr. Oliver this time?”

“You mean you’re already tired of little ole’ me?” Betsey teases. They all laugh while she helps Katniss wipe the gel off. “Since I’m the midwife, I will do the ultrasound appointments. Next month you will start seeing him, and since the babies are twins, the last couple of weeks we will be doing weekly ultrasounds and even fetal monitoring. Are you taking your vitamins?”

“I am. I get so sleepy during the day that I can hardly hold my eyes open, but then I can't sleep at night,” Katniss says.

“That’s normal. Anything else?”

“I sometimes model for Peeta. I can still do that, right?” 

“That shouldn’t be a problem. Just don’t overdo it.” Betsey pauses and neither one of them asks anything, she continues, “Get on out of here. I’ll see you next time.” 

Katniss and Peeta finish up with the secretary, and soon they are on the way to Lulu’s. It’s Katniss who asks, “I should have told her what we are going to do, shouldn’t I?” Peeta, she sees, is speechless for once. “I mean you aren’t really going to tie me up, are you? Not like we used to?”

“No! Nothing like we used to,” he sighs and pulls into the parking lot. “Let’s get some food, go to your house, and figure this out later. It’s been a long day.”

She feels so guilty when she remembers that he had his first therapy session that morning. She nods and tries to give him a reassuring smile. “That sounds good to me.”

Kpkpkpkp

Over the next couple of weeks, everyone falls into a natural pattern. Easter comes and goes with everyone getting together at Finnick and Annie’s. Even though the sister’s don’t talk because Prim is working, they do text each other a ‘Happy Easter’. Peeta goes to therapy at least once a week, sometimes twice. Katniss is getting used to feeling the babies move every time she sits down. Annie brings Gracie to the office at least once a day, claiming that she can’t stay in that house another moment. Madge usually claims her first, then Katniss gladly takes over, enjoying the feel of a little body in her arms. 

When Peeta wasn’t at therapy, he was trying to find himself a job to do at the brewery, if he wasn’t out taking pictures. Katniss found herself enjoying getting to work with him, even if Haymitch grumbled about having to find something for the boy to do. He tried to work in one of the offices, but he was too used to moving around, being creative. He tried to work in the warehouse, but he quickly claimed that it was too boring for him. It was an annoyed Finnick who finally lead him to the brewing room. 

It’s there one afternoon, during the first week of May that Katniss finds him surrounded by every grain they own. He is so busy that he doesn’t notice her at all until she just shows up beside him. She grins when he startles seeing her. “Don’t scare me like that,” he fusses at her.

“What are you doing?”

He smiles and she loves how excited he is. “I’m doing what Finnick has been begging me to do all this time.” he holds up a glass of beer. “Try this.”

“I can't, Peeta.”

“Yes you can. There isn’t’ any alcohol in it.” 

She sips, and loves the way the apple crispness dances on her tongue. “That’s good. Did you just make that?”

He nods. “I want to make a hard cider—“

“Finnick told you about Mr. Buchanan calling?”

“Yes. I can’t believe he offered us the entire crop this fall. And at that price.”

“I can't either. I guess we are going to buy it?” she asks.

“How can we say no? Besides I think the people will like a hard cider. Now I just need to find someone who can juice all of those apples for us.”

“I think there is a place in Hendersonville who can juice them.”

Peeta nods excitedly. “This will work. It could really work! What should we call it?”

She shrugs. “How about Peeta’s Magic Apple Juice?”

He pauses for a moment and she can just imagine the wheels in his head turning. “You know, I like it. Question is do you think Finnick and Haymitch will?”

“I think so? Could Haymitch call and find out?”

“I’m sure we can.” He kisses her on the nose making them both smile.

Kpkpkpkp

Peeta goes to therapy on Tuesdays. Right after lunch, Katniss knows that he sits there and talks to Dr. Arden about things. She knows that they talk about her, them, the buns, ropes, parents, brothers; all that. Then Peeta meets her at her house. Sometimes he is in a good mood and sometimes he is in a quiet mood. He doesn’t really say anything, but she knows that he doesn’t want to be alone. 

He comes in one Tuesday afternoon in one of those quiet moods. He greets her with a kiss on her forehead, and sits on her couch. She follows him and sinks into the cushions beside him. He has this lost and weary gaze on his face and won’t look at her when he begins to speak, “We have been talking about many things the past couple of weeks. And while I understand that I can only do so much about my relationship with my parents and brothers, I can do a lot about us.” He reaches for her hand, brings it to his lips so he can kiss her knuckles, pulling her closer too. “I know that I’m asking a lot, but would you go to therapy with me next week?”

Tears spring to her eyes when she meets his and sees the anguish swimming there. She simply nods and opens up her arms. He pulls her onto his lap, and she wraps her arms around him. They sit there until the buzzer on the stove interrupts them.

 

Kpkpkpkp

Brue goes back to the Marines the first of May. Katniss isn’t surprised that on Friday afternoon when she gets off of work, Jo is sitting on her porch steps. Jo tries not to look excited or relieved to see her, but Katniss can still see the emotions on her face. 

Katniss walks up to her and eases down beside her. “I guess I should be glad that Mama insisted that Daddy build such wide steps.” Jo gives her a small smile. “Did he go back?”

Jo nods. “I was going to see him this weekend. He said that he had to work all weekend and he couldn’t get out of it.”

Katniss nudges her with her shoulder. “When are you going to admit that you are in love with him?”

Jo wipes the tears that have escaped her eyes. “I know I love him. I just can’t be with him.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard you say. Why can’t you?”

“He’s there, I’m here—“

“So, don’t they need game wardens on the coast?”

“They do, but—“

“He asked you to go with him, didn’t he?”

Jo nods sadly. “I don’t know why I couldn’t tell him yes. I sat there like some dumb ass not saying a thing. You should have seen the way he looked at me. It was like I shot his favorite dog or something.”

“It probably felt like you did. Well come on, I’m hungry.” Katniss stands up to go inside.

“Where is lover boy at?” Jo follows her into the house.

“He is at the studio. He just said he had to catch up on somethings.”

“Is he over here every night?”

“Yeah, he is. He always leaves by nine.”

“You two just need to move in together or something. What about when the cupcakes get here? Is he going to leave you to handle middle of the night feedings by yourself?”

Katniss shrugs. “I haven’t thought about it. I have a little bit more time until they get here.”

“How far along are you now?”

“Twenty-six weeks.”

“They will be here before you know it. Well come on Everdeen. Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Are you buying?” 

Jo laughs for the first time that afternoon. “I’ll be glad to feed all three of you. Where are we going?”

“Can we go to Frank’s Pizza?”

“You mean you are over your barbeque craving?” Jo teases.

“Actually I’m not. I just want pizza and they have the best in town.” 

“Let’s go then. Maybe Peeta can meet us there?”

“I’ll call him on the way and see if he is finished.”

They make it to the pizza place, and by the time Frank himself is setting the pizza on the table, Peeta arrives. He sits down beside Katniss and says to Jo, “Hello stranger. How are you?”

“Has it been that long since we’ve seen each other?” Jo asks. 

Peeta thinks for a moment before he answers, “I think it was the night at the bar, wasn’t it?”

Jo chuckles. “Oh, yeah. Brue was ready to kick your ass.”

Peeta flushes red, and says, “Yeah, that was a hell of a night.”

“What do you think about Katniss and the cupcakes?” Jo wonders.

Peeta gives Katniss one of his sweet smiles that still makes her melt. “I think it’s wonderful. Now if I could just convince her to marry me, all would be perfect in my world.”

“What?” Jo looks at Katniss. “You didn’t tell me that he proposed. You are supposed to tell me shit like that.”

“I didn’t think he was serious,” Katniss answers. 

She doesn’t miss the hurt look in his eyes, which hurts her heart more than she thought it would. “I would marry you right now if you would have me.”

Katniss breathes a sigh of relief when Jo says, “Brue asked me to marry him.”

“You didn’t tell me that!” Katniss says. 

“Yeah, it was all part of the moving to the base with him.”

This time it’s Peeta who says, “Why don’t you want him?”

“But I do!” Jo exclaims. “Oh crap, I do. He’s all I have ever wanted. I have to go to him—“ 

Katniss looks surprised when Jo jumps up from the table, grabs her purse and kisses her on the cheek. “Are you leaving now?”

Jo looks at her watch and says, “It’s six now, I’ll stop by the house and then be on the road in a little bit.” She starts for the door, and says over her shoulder, “I’ll call you when I get there.” 

Katniss and Peeta are silent for a moment, recovering from the whirl wind that is Jo. “She’s really going to Jacksonville?”

“I guess so.” Katniss picks up her phone. She quickly calls Madge. “Hey, it’s me. Do me a favor? Are you busy?”

“No, what’s wrong?” Madge says.

“Go to Jo’s house.”

“Why?” 

“She is going to stop by there, grab some clothes, and go to Jacksonville.”

Madge lets out a low whistle. “I’m on the way.”

“Let me know what happens.”

“I will. Bye.” Madge hangs up and Katniss turns to Peeta. “Madge will either get her to wait till morning or go with her.”

“Madge is a good friend.” 

“She is. All through school she had been the mother hen. Always watching out for us and all that. Are you ready?”

Peeta nods and they get up to go pay the bill. Frank waves them away while he tells them, “Your friend paid on her way out the door.”

When they are on the road, Peeta asks, “Do you want me to take you home?”

“Actually, let’s go see a movie.”

Peeta perks up at this. “You mean it?”

“Yeah, why not? It will be like we are on a date or something,” she says with a smile.

“I guess we should have done that more. You know, before,” he says nervously.

She has to stop and think for a moment before she answers, “I don’t regret anything that happened between us before Christmas. If anything, I should have told Prim to begin with, what I was doing. Then she wouldn’t have acted the way she did, and you never would have been hurt the way you were.”

“I shouldn’t have walked out—“

“Shhh. We will talk about this later—“ 

“No, this is one thing that we talked about in therapy. I shouldn’t have walked out. I should have stayed and fought for you.” He pulls off on the side of the road. He turns, looks into her eyes, and reaches for her hands. “I was scared, Katniss, so damn scared. I know that’s not an excuse, but I didn’t want you to go through losing your family like I did—“

She doesn’t know what else to do but to kiss him. Part of her just wants him to stop talking, and another part of her has been wanting to do that since he came into her life again. Just when reason reminds her that this might be a bad idea, he begins to take control like he did before. She whimpers when he cups her face, and he moans back. 

Parts of her, that have been asleep for far too long, start to wake up again. Just when she begins to get very wet, he breaks the kiss. They both look at each other, breathless, for a long minute. He doesn’t let go of her, but instead rests his forehead against hers. “The next time we do that, it won’t be on the side of the road, because next time, I’m going to kiss you all over, because I don’t want to ever stop kissing you again.” He does press a kiss to her nose. 

She is still trying to catch her breath while he shifts the truck into drive. 

Kpkpkpkp

The weekend is pretty uneventful, except for Jo texting to say that she is taking some of her vacation days so she can stay in Jacksonville and see about transferring. Peeta comes over every day. Katniss wants to pretend that the kiss never happened, but then she also wants to drag him upstairs and hide from the world with him under the covers, only coming out for the bathroom, and cheese buns. She thinks he might want to do the same, because the closer it gets to Tuesday and his standing therapy appointment, the more nervous he seems to be. 

When she gets up on Tuesday morning, her stomach is upset and anxious. She can’t help but to think that his nervousness rubbed off on her as she hangs over the toilet. She takes her time getting ready for work, her stomach finally settling after she eats some dry toast. 

Katniss: I might be a little late today. But I’ll be there soon.

Haymitch: What’s wrong?

Katniss: Upset stomach. I’ll be ok in a little bit.

It’s just a moment later, her phone lights up with Peeta’s picture. “Hello?”

“What’s wrong?”

She groans into the phone. “You beat me to work?”

“Are you sick?”

She sighs. “I vomited when I got up. I’m starting to feel better, so I was texting Haymitch to tell him that I was going to be late. What time is therapy?”

“We need to be there at 12:30. Why don’t you take the morning off, and I’ll come and get you in a little bit.”

Taking the morning off sounds so nice, and she says, “I can do that,” before she can stop herself. 

She can almost hear him smile when he says, “You go back to bed, and I’ll be there in a little bit.”

His voice is so soothing to her frayed nerves that she quickly says, “Ok. I’ll see you after a while.”

After hanging up her phone, she slowly refills her glass of ice water, and makes her way back up to her room. She lays back down and in those final moments before she drifts off to sleep, she can't help but to wish that Peeta was here holding her like he used to. 

She drifts off and it feels like she is dreaming when she feels his warm, strong arms pulling her close. It isn’t until she smells cinnamon that her eyes shoot open to see his Carolina blue ones smiling into her silver ones. She smiles and reaches out to touch his cheek. “You’re real.”  
He turns so he can kiss her hand and says, “I’m real. Are you ok?”

She nods. “What time is it?”

“It’s eleven—“

“Oh crap!” She sits up too fast and fights a wave of nausea. She breathes deeply waiting for her stomach to stop rolling. 

“What’s wrong?” Peeta asks, and she feels guilty for the worry she hears in his voice. 

“I sat up too fast. I need to eat something before we go.” 

“You lay back down. Can you eat some toast?”

“And fix me some tea?”

“I will.” He disappears downstairs. She gets up, and by the time she is done washing her face, he is back. “Eat this. Then we can stop on the way and get something to eat.”  
At that, she perks up considerably. “Where can we go?”

Peeta chuckles. “Lulu’s?” his chuckle grows when she nods eagerly.

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss jumps when Dr. Arden calls Peeta into her office. She breathes through her nerves, and follows him into the cozy office. Instead of the doctor’s office she is expecting, she is pleasantly surprised when the room looks like the living room of a person who loves books. Peeta sinks down into the overstuffed couch that looks like it would be a great place to nap. 

Before she has a chance to follow him, Dr. Arden says, “It’s nice to see you again, Katniss. I’m glad that you could make it today.”

“I’m glad that I could make it too.” Then she sinks down beside Peeta. 

Dr. Arden smiles at both of them, and begins. “Peeta has requested that you join us today and I am happy that you agreed. Therapy is an open process where even though one individual is going through it, it does affect others. I want you to know that this is a safe place and what you say will be kept confidential.”

Katniss takes a deep breath and starts telling herself that after what she has gone through the past couple of years, she can handle anything. “Before we start, well, can I ask something?”

Dr. Arden nods and Peeta reaches for her hand. She gratefully accepts it, and for a moment, just looks at how strong his hand actually is. She traces his veins while she gathers her thoughts. She doesn’t look up, and says, “Are you actually happy about the babies? I mean truly happy?”

His big, strong hand covers hers. She still doesn’t look up until she hears the joy in his voice, “I know that I haven’t been doing many things right in this relationship, and someone else might think that we are making a horrible mistake. These are our children, however and I am so damn excited that they are coming.” She hates the uncertainty that she hears next, “aren’t you happy?”

“I am, but I’m scared to death at the same time,” she answers as she meets his worried gaze. When he hears her words, she can see the worry leave his eyes. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to trap you into anything.”

“No, I don’t feel that way at all. In fact, I’m very excited.”

Dr. Arden smiles at both of them. “I’m glad that you feel you can address your feelings and concerns, Katniss. Peeta, would you like to expand on some of those feelings?”

He squeezes Katniss’ hand tightly and asks, “Where? Where should I start?”

Dr. Arden suggests, “There is always the beginning.”

Peeta nods. “Mama always said that she wanted me to be a girl. After having two sons already, she was disappointed when the ultrasound showed that I was a boy. Our home seemed happy enough. My dad was busy running the bakery, while mom ran back and forth from helping him, to taking care of us. It wasn’t until much later, when I became friends with Finnick in high school, and got to be around his family, and especially Grandma Mags, that I figured out that my family wasn’t normal.” He pauses to get a drink of water and Katniss tries to imagine what he is about to tell her. 

“My brothers and I were always close. They were protecting me from what mom would do. When I was little, I never really paid attention to what she was saying, but I can remember the tone that she would use when she was talking to Bram and Rye. It wasn’t until she signed me up for baseball when I was six—you know what she said to me? She said, ‘Don’t fuck up your arm like Bram did when he was six.’” Katniss can't believe that a mother would say that. When Peeta runs the hand that isn’t holding hers through his curls, she knows that he is aggravated. 

“Why would she say that to you?” Katniss can’t help but to ask.

“Bram was six when I was born. While mom was in the hospital, a neighbor was helping watch Bram and Rye. They had an old barn out back and they liked to play in the top of it. Bram fell through a hole and broke his arm. He was still able to play sports, but she always said that he could have done much better had he not broken it. I mean I understand telling your child to be careful, but she had to say that to me in front of the other parents at sign ups.”

“Peeta, in recalling that memory and those feelings, do you still feel that same way or has that changed since then?” Dr. Arden asks.

Peeta thinks for a moment before he answers, “It took me a long time to get to a place where I wasn’t having to think about every little move that I made. Even now, there are times when I can her saying, ‘don’t fuck this up.’ 

“Rye and I shared a room. In the back of the closet there was a little door there that went into the attic. We made that into our secret pirate cave. I remember so many times Bram or Rye would take me in there and close the door behind us. Then we had a contest to see who could the quietest until the other brother came to find us. It seemed that everything happened when I was six.”

Both women shoot him a confused look and it’s Dr. Arden who asks, “Tell me more about what happened when you were six. What changed?”

“We beat mom home one day from school and of course we felt like we were starved to death. Well Rye was reaching up into the cabinet for some crackers that I wanted and knocked over the flour. It was a brand new bag from the bakery so there was about an inch of flour all over everything. Mom came home before we even had a chance to start cleaning up.” He looks down at his hands and takes a ragged breath before he continues, “She went after Bram first. After she spanked him, she then went after Rye. Then she came after me. Rye promised her that it was him who did it, and that we would get it all cleaned up. Somehow, we did get it all cleaned up. I still don’t know how we did that. Then we were going upstairs to change clothes and she called Bram into the living room. We were going to go with him, but he told us to go hide and to wait for him. I was learning how to tell time, and it was thirty minutes before he came to us. She had taken one of dad’s belts and beat him so bad, he couldn’t go to school for two days. That was the first time I remember her physically hurting one of us.”

Katniss just wants to hold him, so she scoots closer to him on the couch laying her head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head. “Did she ever hit you?” she asks. 

He nods. “Once. Bram and Rye were usually around to take the blame. There was one afternoon when I was the only one home. I don’t even remember what I did, but she did. I was twelve, and she was beating me with the same belt. Dad walked in. He told me to go upstairs so I ran to the cave. Rye found me when he got home from football practice. When I came downstairs, she was gone. She got her clothes and left everything else.”

Dr. Arden smiles kindly. “Did you see your mother after that incident?”

“I haven’t. Dad got a divorce on grounds of abandonment.”

Katniss pulls away so she can look him in the eyes. A single tear runs down her cheek when she sees the hurt there. This time she does pull him into her arms. He hugs her back and she wishes she knew something she could do to help him. He sits back up and she thinks she can see a tear in his eye, but doesn’t say anything. 

It’s Dr. Arden who breaks the silence. “Can you tell me more about life after your mother left?”

Peeta clears his throat before he says, “Nothing really. We went to school, Dad worked late every night. We helped when we didn’t have ball or wrestling. I met Finnick when we were in the ninth grade. I was over there when we weren’t at school or at the bakery. I promised myself that one day, I would have that.”

Katniss just continues to listen when Dr. Arden says, “Tell me more about your relationship with your father.” 

Peeta shrugs. “He tried I guess? I don’t think he really knew what we needed, and we felt like we couldn’t ask for it either.”

Katniss doesn’t want to add what she wants to tell him, but she knows that it’s now or never. “When I went to interview with Snow, I had to go to their headquarters in Mooresville.”

Peeta looks at her nervously. “I didn’t know you went to them to interview. I thought they met you at the vineyard.” She shakes her head and watches him. “The bakery is across the street from Snow.”

Katniss nods, nervous about saying anything else until he asks, “Did you go into the bakery?”

“I didn’t know it was your bakery—“

“Did you tell them anything?”

“Oh no, Peeta. I wouldn’t dream of doing that. I smelled the bread when I left Snow’s and followed my nose. I got out of there as soon as I could.” She knew he would be hurt when she told him. She just wishes she knew what to do now. “Are you mad at me?”

She believes him when he says, “I’m not. I’m just frustrated with them. I can’t fix that, or them. I can,” he grabs her hand again and brings her knuckles up to his lips so he can kiss them. “Work on us.”

She nods and says, “So because of what your mom and dad did, that is why you left on Christmas?”

He sounds so defeated when he says, “It is. I know how it’s been for me over the years, and I don’t want you to go through that, at all.”

“Do you want to quit doing the ropes because of your parents?”

“I just want to be there for you and the babies. I can’t do that if I’m doing a demo on the other side of the world.”

“Peeta, you seem to be very unsure of your father and his role in your life. Do you think or feel that it is possible you might worry about having similar failing with your children and taking on similar attributes as your father?” Dr. Arden asks. 

Peeta is quiet for a moment, and Katniss can tell that he is thinking. “You know, that makes a lot of sense. I guess I haven’t separated myself from the kink in so long, I have forgotten how to do it. But you can’t have bondage and babies. Can you?”

“I would prefer the children to never find out about that part of our lives, if we can help it. But can you be happy with just me? Can you be happy with just us? Can you be happy taking pictures of messy birthday parties and working on the next ale for Knotted Brew Works?”

He grabs both of her hands and pulls her around so he can look into her eyes. “As long as you are there, and doing all of those wonderful things with me, then yes, I can be happy doing that for the rest of my life. If we get back into the lifestyle after they are grown, then great. If we never pick up another piece of rope again except to tie up the boat on the dock, then that will be alright with me. Don’t you see Katniss? All I need is you.” He kisses her on the nose. “And these wonderful soon to be born creatures. Everything else is just icing on the cake.”

His declaration chases away all of the nagging thoughts she is having about not being enough for him. She surprises him when she throws her arms around his neck. She surprises herself when she catches herself sobbing into his shoulder. He pats her on the back until she can stop crying. He whispers, “I love you.”

She leans back and looks into his eyes. “I love you too.”

kpkpkpkpkpkp

Yeah, I know. There was one more scene that didn’t make it. I have it almost written, and will be posting it as its own special chapter!!!! Let me know what you think!!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you will like this chapter… I hope so anyway… 
> 
> I need to thank the usual crowd… sohypothetically for always being so encouraging. Norbertsmom for working for magic, and then my readers, the amazing Gigi, Alex and Maria for giving this the thumbs up!! Thanks everyone. And I don’t own anything!!!! 
> 
> And thank you my dear reader for coming back again. I’m glad that you are still with me!!

May eighth comes on a Friday. Katniss doesn’t think anything much about it at first. Prim did call her before work to talk for a minute and to wish her a happy birthday, and Madge is out of town with Gale. Jo is still gone to be with Brue. Haymitch gruffly wished her a happy birthday, but he is the only one in their small office. She had just assumed that Peeta knew that it was her birthday… but now, sitting on her couch, after work, by herself; she is pretty sure that she didn’t tell him what today is. He wasn’t at the brewery today, so he might not even come over this evening.

Her eyes are closed with her head laid back trying to forget. She doesn’t even realize that she is crying until there is a knock at the door and she rubs her hands on her face and her fingers are wet. 

She eases up and walks to the kitchen door. Through the window she can see something, but doesn’t realize what it is until she opens the door and all she can see that it’s a bunch of balloons. “What—“ is all she can utter before the balloons move and she sees her Peeta standing behind them. Damn it, she’s crying again, she thinks as she stands aside and chokes, “Come in.”

He comes in and pauses before her. “Did you think I forgot?”

Tears are still creeping down her cheeks. “I didn’t know if you knew.”

He lets go of the balloons and sets something down on the counter. Then he pulls her into his arms. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, you did that.”

“I brought you something.” 

“I see that.” she says as he hands her an old fashioned plastic covered cake plate.

“What is this?” she asks. 

He grins as he says, “Open it.”

She gently eases the top off and reveals a sugary birthday cake master piece. It has that delicate sugar icing that melts in your mouth, the kind that every kid wants to see with candles burning bright for them on their big day. Peeta decorated it with easy swirls with the fancy script at the top and the bottom of the sides, that way there is even more icing on the cake. She doesn’t realize she is crying, again, until Peeta wipes them off of her cheeks. She gives him a weak smile, and says, “I never had a birthday cake as pretty as this. Thank you, Peeta.” 

“You can't have any yet,” he says.

“Why not?”

“Well, we have to go somewhere first.”

“We do?”

“We do,” he confirms. “There are some friends of ours waiting on us at Lulu’s. Tomorrow, you have a day at the spa planned for pre-baby pampering. Sunday, which happens to be Mother’s Day, well I thought we would finally make it out into those woods you’ve been wanting to show me.”

“You planned all this? For me?”

He smiles and pulls her in for a hug and a kiss on her nose. “Of course, for you. Now go change, I know you are hungry but first, open this.” and he gives her a gift bag that she didn’t even see him come in with. 

She opens it, and pulls out a beautiful green lace dress with soft pink trim. “Oh, Peeta! It’s beautiful!”

“Go change. I can’t wait to see it on you.”

This time when she smiles at him, her tears are happy, and not pitiful. “Thank you,” she says, holding the dress close to her.

“Anything for you.” 

Kpkpkpkpkpkp

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Peeta asks nervously the next week. 

Katniss nods. “I am. You know, it might sound weird, but I miss you tying me up.”

He comes up behind her where she stands at the sink, wrapping his arms around her, rubbing her baby bump until he feels a kick against his hand. “Would it be too much if I told you how much I miss tying you up?”

She grins, enjoying the warmth that flows through her body at his words. “I guess not. What do you miss the most? Seeing me bound and helpless?”

He lightly kisses her ear lobe, sending shivers of delight to her core. “You were never helpless. You still don’t realize the power you have over me, do you?”

“What are you talking about?” she asks bumping him with her ever growing baby bump when she turns. 

“Watch out, kitten,” he cautions her, grabbing her when she loses her balance. He doesn’t say anything but instead holds her until she regains her balance. He brings his hands up to cup her face and she thinks that he is going to kiss her, those sweet heavy kisses that they have been sharing after supper, curled up on her couch, but he just kisses her on the nose. “From the day I met you, you have haunted my every thought, my every desire. I will do anything to make you happy.”

“Peeta—“

He steps back and she has to stop herself stop from pulling him back. “I’m going to go home. I have to make sure everything is ready for you.”

She sighs, feeling defeated. “Ok. What time do you want me there?”

He shrugs. “In the morning? Go ahead and sleep in and call me when you are on the way, ok?”

She nods. “Good night, Peeta.”

He pulls her into another hug. Then as quickly as he embraces her, he is heading for the door. “Goodnight, Katniss.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss can’t help but to think about the last time she got naked in Peeta’s apartment as she folds up her shirt and lays it neatly on Peeta’s bed. Has it really been since December? Now it’s May, so many things have changed, she thinks as she rubs her baby bump. Next comes her shorts and underwear. She quickly dons the robe she brought with her and tries not to be nervous about Peeta seeing her naked and pregnant. She sighs and hopes that he doesn’t find her new shape just awful. 

She grabs a bottle of water out of his refrigerator and goes out into the studio looking for Peeta. In order to catch the natural light, he has laid out a shag rug that she doesn’t remember and what looks like, every pillow in the building. On one wall, she notices that he also has a new white background. 

Before she has a chance to notice anything else, he says behind her, “I got that so I can start taking pictures of babies and stressed out brides.”

“Are you really going to start doing that?” she asks as she turns around to face him. 

He nods and she can feel his eyes taking her in. “I think so. At least of our babies and little Gracie.” He walks over to where he is standing in front of her and slowly runs his fingers down the collar of her robe. “I remember this robe. It was your mom’s? Right?”

She nods nervously. They have done this many, many times, so why is she so nervous now? She pulls the familiar robe closer around her like it’s going to shield her from something. “I guess I need a new one, I can hardly wear this one anymore.”

“I think you look beautiful in whatever you are wearing.” He rubs his hands on his jeans and turns to walk over to the cabinet where she knows he keeps his ropes. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I guess it’s now or never, right?” 

He comes back to her with several skeins of rope and smiles at her. “Are you nervous?”

She shrugs. “A little? It’s been a while.”

He stops messing with the rope and comes back to her. Looking into his eyes, she is reminded how easy it is to get lost in his. He pulls the hair bow at the end of her braid loose and runs his fingers through her waves. She closes her eyes at the tugging on her scalp and hums when she feels the heat that only he causes pool at her center. “You are so amazing. I can’t believe I walked out on you.”

Her eyes fly open at that. “That is in the past. We can’t live back there anymore. We have to live in the right now.” She reaches out and touches his chest, wanting to pull him closer. He wraps his arms around her and does it for them. “I’m so glad that you can still do that.”

He smiles, that sexy, amazing smile that makes her knees go weak. “I’ll always be here to hold you.” She wraps her arms around his neck and he nuzzles into hers. The shivers that start only add to the wetness gathering at her center. He steps back, letting go of her. Her hands automatically hold her robe closed and she feels silly for feeling this shy with him when he interrupts her thoughts. “Kitten, you are so beautiful carrying our babies. Can I see you? Please?”

When he asks her for something that sweetly, who is she to tell him no? She takes a brave breath and nods. She slowly opens her robe, showing him the changes in her body. She casts her eyes down and secretly loves that she can see his bare toes peeping out from under his jeans. 

He isn’t saying anything. Oh crap! Why isn’t he saying anything? This is a horrible mistake. She grabs the edge of her robe so she can close it and go put her clothes back on when his big, but oh so gentle, hands settle on top of hers. “Don’t,” he chokes out. 

She looks at him, and she thinks her heart melts when she sees that he is looking at her the way he is. “You are even more beautiful than I remember.” He raises his hands to her shoulders and asks, “Can I?”

She mutely nods, and he eases the robe off of her shoulders. He catches it and lays it on the chair behind him. He comes back to her, and she can tell by the look in his eyes what he wants. She grabs his hands and places them on the last places she felt the babies move. They feel the pressure and Peeta is rewarded with a solid kick on both hands. 

Their eyes meet when they look up at the same time with a chuckle. “They know when you are around.”

“Can they hear me?”

“I think so. That is what the baby books say anyway.” She can't help but to shiver when the air conditioning kicks on. She crosses her arms in front of her when she can feel her nipples growing hard. 

“I thought we might start on the white background.” He reaches into a cabinet for a long length of white gauze-like fabric. He then starts to drape it around her, covering her breasts and her hips, but leaving her stomach exposed. He gives her one of his smiles that always makes her weak in the knees. “These pictures are for me.”

She feels the blush at his words creeping up her neck. She doesn’t say anything when he leads her over in front of the white back ground. A low hum coming from the fan she didn’t even notice before, makes her smile. She says, with a giggle, “a fan, Peeta?” she flips her hair over her shoulder and smirks at him. “I feel like Shania Twain or something in that one video. You know Forever and For Always? You know, because she is wearing that white, sweater thing?”

He shakes his head at her and goes over to where she knows he keeps his CD collection. In just a moment, Shania’s humming fills the studio and Katniss can’t help but to sing along with her, “In your arms I can still feel the way you want me when you hold me.” Peeta picks up his camera and starts to take a series of shots while she still sings along, her rich voice keeping up with Shania’s deep voice on the speakers. “I can still hear the words you whispered when you told me. I can stay right here forever in your arms. And there ain't no way--I'm lettin' you go now, And there ain't no way-- and there ain't no how I'll never see that day.... 'Cause I'm keeping you forever and for always. We will be together all of our days.”

While she sings, it hits her how much she loves this wonderful man in front of her. Everything in this song is perfect, and she can’t pin point the moment when she starts to sing it to him, but by the time Shania finishes up the song, Katniss is pouring out her heart. So when the next song, on the cd starts, one of Katniss’ favorites, she can't help but to dance along with the music. Still singing, she almost forgets Peeta still taking pictures. “I've already planned it - here's how it's gonna be, I'm gonna love you and - you're gonna fall in love with me, Yeah, yeah.” She sees the smile on Peeta’s face when she continues the fun lyrics, “Oh, yeah. So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun. There's no need to be alone when you find that someone-- I'm gonna getcha while I gotcha in sight, I'm gonna getcha if it takes all night. You can betcha by the time I say "go," you'll never say "no".

He takes pictures grinning at her dance moves the entire time. This time when the song is over, Katniss grabs the remote and pushes the square button. “What? No more dancing?”

“I’m thirsty now,” she answers.

“Do you want a snack?”

She shakes her head. “No, just some water please.”

He gets them both a bottle of water. While she drinks from hers, she can't help the butterflies that flutter in her tummy when he grabs a skein of rope. “I guess it’s better to get this part over with.”

He pauses. “I thought you were ok with doing this? We don’t have to—“

“No! It’s not that at all.” She hugs herself before she continues, “it’s been so long since we’ve done this—I’m just nervous. Can we leave this,” she touches the fabric where it covers her breasts, “on for a little bit?”

He nods. “You know you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to kitten.”

She takes a deep breath, and says, “You know, I think I do want to do this. I’m just afraid of how much I’ve missed your ropes. I’ve missed you, I’ve missed us, together, like this.”

He steps closer to her and reaches out to hold her hands. He then pulls, gently on her until they would be nose to nose if it wasn’t for the height difference. “Can I kiss you?” She just has time to nod, when his lips are on hers. His tongue is at her lips, demanding that he be let back in. She opens her mouth with a happy sigh letting him claim her all over again. It isn’t until her fingers find his curls that she realizes that she has truly missed every part of him. 

His lips find their way back to his favorite spot on her neck, sending red hot desire for him straight to her core. The feel of this amazing man in her arms is what she has missed and she can’t help but to sob at that realization. He stops kissing her to look into her eyes. Frantic, she lowers his lips to hers again. “Don’t ever stop kissing me again. Promise me that you will never stop again. Please—“

Her sentence is cut off when his lips find hers again. This time he says, “I promise,” kiss, “you are mine,” he growls, “if I leave,” kissing her deeply again, getting lost in everything that is Peeta. “You are coming with me.”

“You promise?” This time it’s her who growls against his lips. 

The lovers look carefully into each other’s eyes. “I do,” he promises, and somehow she knows in her heart that he would rather die than to leave again. She pulls him back for another kiss, but he backs up grabbing, his camera. He takes a picture and before she can ask why, he says, “The look in your eyes,” snap, “I don’t want to ever forget how you look right now.” Snap. 

She looks down all of a sudden shy. “Look at me,” he quietly commands. She looks up and he snaps several more pictures. This time it’s her who reaches for the rope, offering it to him across open palms. He sets the camera down, and she wills herself to be still under his scrutiny. He still hasn’t taken the rope from her when he runs his hand up her arm, not stopping until his hand is on her throat. 

She raises her eyes in question and sees him smiling at her. He takes the rope from her and the sound of the rope hitting the floor brings back so many memories. She holds out her arms as a silent offering, and can’t stop the smile that creeps onto her face when he starts to wind it around her wrist. “What is that smile for?” he asks.

He reaches for another skein of rope. This time, the sound of it hitting the floor sends delicious shivers up her spine. 

She steals a glance up at him through her lashes. “I’m missed this.” She sees a knowing smile appear on his face and he nods in agreement.

He quickly secures her other wrist. It does something to her when he grabs two more bundles of rope and drops to his knees in front of her. He pats his knee for her to put her foot there. She obeys but neither one of them are prepared for when she has to grab the top of his head to keep from falling over. “You need to sit down.” He pats the pillow beside him. “Can you get down on the floor?”

“I’m not that big,” she fusses at him with a smile on her face while she swats at him. She slowly lowers herself down onto the biggest one, making sure that she sits on the fabric that is still wrapped around her. 

He starts to wrap the rope around her ankle, and everywhere he touches, tingly little goose bumps erupt running up both legs, leaving her a bundle of nerves. She is ready to beg him to just touch her again when he picks up his camera. 

“Move to the left,” he commands, and she listens, keeping her head down, knowing that these might be for Crane instead of the one who is taking the pictures. He gets up, moving so that her back is to him. She startles a little when she feels him pulling the gauze down so that her back is bare. He arranges her hair so that it’s hanging straight down her back. She doesn’t move while she hears the clicks of his digital camera. “Put your hands behind your head.”

“Don’t show my face, please,” she asks. 

He nods. “Those pictures are just for us.” 

She smiles in relief as he bends down to take a picture of the rope wrapped around her ankle, making her wish she had thought to paint her toes before she came over. He stands up and studies her with his hands on his hips. “Are you comfortable?”

“I like these pillows.”

“Can you kneel?”

“I think so.” And it takes her a moment, but she gets up on her knees. The gauze drops and she starts to put it back, when he stops her with a shake of his head. She rests her hands on her legs and looks down at them. She knows that is what he wanted when she hears the clicking of the camera again. 

She can’t help but to wonder what he thinks of the changes her that body has been going through. He releases a shuttering breath and she can't help but to think the worse when she looks up at him. “Are you ok?”

He swallows hard. He sounds choked up when he croaks, “Can you lay down?”

She slides over to where she rests on her hip and starts to arrange the pillows but he beats her to it. She eases backward and breathes a sigh when she feels how comfortable they are against her skin. She looks up at him with wide eyes, and he arranges her hair so that it’s flowing over the pillow under her head. Peeta then arranges the fabric so that her hips are still covered, and her breasts are still exposed. 

He picks up the camera like he is going to take more pictures, instead he sets it to the side, and falls to his knees beside her. 

He licks his lips nervously and whispers, “Please don’t be mad at me.” She doesn’t have a chance to say anything when he is holding himself up, kissing her. 

She moans into his mouth, kissing him, and mutters, “I could never be that mad at you for kissing me.” He claims her lips again. 

He rolls to the side of her, and she copies him, so that they are lying face to face. Reverently, he runs his fingers through the hair there at her forehead. Then she watches as his eyes travel downward, taking her all in. Slowly, he kisses her again. His kisses are anything but ordinary, and this one is no exception. He is as gentle as a summer breeze winding itself around her in the heat of July. Even in his gentleness, he takes her breath away. 

His kiss continues, freeing her from every lingering doubt she had about him truly loving her and the babies. She grabs his bicep and pulls away from him. “Peeta, I need you.” 

“I need you, too,” he says as he tries to kiss her again.

“Peeta, please make love to me.”

He freezes and looks into her eyes. In that moment, she hopes that every longing she has had these past months for him is in her eyes. She knows that he sees her love because he is looking at her the same way. “Are you sure?” he asks anyway.

“I’ve never wanted you more.”

“I think I’ve dreamed about this too many times. Are you real? Is this really happening?”

She smiles and doesn’t say anything, doesn’t have to really. She doesn’t even have to reach for him when he is there, kissing her again. Then all of a sudden he stops and jumps up. Before she can say anything, he is offering her his hands, and pulls her to stand. When she is standing, he swoops her up into his arms. “Peeta! Put me down! I’m too fat for you to be carrying around like this!”

He chuckles as he carries her down the hall leading to his apartment. “I would carry you forever if you would let me.” 

He stops in front of the bed and before he puts her down, she confesses, “I really do love you, Peeta Mellark.”

“I love you, Katniss Everdeen.” He sets her down on his bed, and he follows after her. The fabric is twisted about her and he unwraps her tenderly until he can see all of her. He then unwinds the ropes gently and then kisses the rope indentions left on her wrists and ankles. He sits back on his heels and she can feel her blush creeping up her body as he studies her. “Why are you turning red?”

She shrugs. “I’m nervous.”

“But, why? It’s me and you.”

“But that is why. You haven’t seen me like this, all big and bloated.”

“Stop,” he commands.

“Stop what?” she questions.

“You, Miss Everdeen are talking bad about the woman that I love and adore. You aren’t allowed to do that.”

She rolls her eyes at him. He leans over and kisses her stomach. She playfully pushes him off of her. “You, Mr. Mellark, are seriously overdressed.”

He grins and only breaks eye contact with her when he pulls his Knotted Brew Works t-shirt over his head. He steps off of the bed and goes to unbutton his jeans, but she pushes his hands away so she can do it. She releases his button, and pushes his jeans off of his hips. She loves that he is already hard and she can't help herself when she reaches to grasp it. She pumps him slowly and she looks up at him as she leans into kiss the tip. She smiles when she hears him hiss and can’t help but to ask, “Do you want me?” she can’t help to ask when she sees the longing on his face. 

He smirks. “You can’t tell how much I want you?”

She gives his dick a playful slap, herself grinning when he winces. “What are you going to do about it?”

He pulls his legs out of his jeans and underwear, and gently pushes her back on the bed. “I’m going to make you scream,” he growls against her lips before he claims them again is a searing kiss. She brings up her arms to pull him close, but he sits back up before she can get ahold of him. He palms her breasts, filling how heavy they have become. “You’ve grown.” 

She nods and before she can say anything, he bends down to suck on one of her nipples and she answers him with a happy groan. She runs her fingers through his curls and pulls on them gently. 

“Patience, kitten, patience.”

“It’s been too long,” she pants. “I need you to touch me.” He switches to her other breast and when he nibbles on her nipple, it feels like she is going to come right then. “Peeta,” she mewls, “please I need you—“

His hand drifts down, and she inhales when he gently parts his folds. He circles her clit and the orgasm that has been slowly building washes over her as she cries out, “oh, dear God, Peeta!”

He waits for her to catch her breath before he says, “Damn, Kitten! That was fast.”

She grins at him. “And to think, you aren’t done yet.”

He sticks out his lip in a playful pout as he teases, “What do you mean that I’m not done yet? I going to go to Lulu’s—“ 

“Oh no, you’re not. You aren’t anywhere near done.” She props herself up on her elbows and peers over her baby bump. “Besides, I know somewhere you can put that gorgeous dick of yours.”

“Miss Everdeen, what a mouth you have gotten while we’ve been apart.”

“I’ve learned to ask for what I want.” 

“Well then, I better listen.” He pauses and looks at her puzzled. “How are we going to do this?”

“Let’s just try it with me on my back. You can’t put any weight on me.”

“I think I can do that.” He reaches down, and she squirms against his finger that he inserts into her vagina. “You are so wet.” 

She leans back and crooks a finger at him. “Come here, you.” 

He leans down, presses a kiss to her stomach. He turns her on more that she has ever been turned on by doing that. He palms her breast and tweaks her nipple while he claims another kiss. Before she can say anything else, he is rubbing his cock through her folds spreading her wetness all around. She doesn’t have a chance to catch her breath when is he is sinking into her. 

She grabs his shoulders, hanging on for dear life when she pants, “Oh fuck, Peeta. It’s been too long.”

“You are so damn tight,” he grunts above her. 

She can’t stop the tear that escapes from her eye and runs down towards her ear. He wipes it for her and says, “Don’t cry, kitten.”

“I’m just glad that I have you again.”

He grins. “That you do.” He pulls out and it makes her eyes roll back when he pushes back in. “You know, that you are never getting rid of me again.”

“You promise?” 

He slowly pulls out and pushes in again. “I’m not going anywhere, Kitten.”

“Well, can you go a little faster?”

He smirks. “Anything, Kitten.” This time when he moves, it’s to drive them both to completion. 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s later on that evening, after they have made love twice more, Peeta has downloaded the pictures to his laptop. They sit beside one another on the bed looking at the pictures. Even Katniss can’t help but to call herself beautiful when she sees what Peeta brought out in her.

“See I told you,” he says.

“You told me what?”

“How beautiful you are. I hope the buns look like you.” 

She rolls her eyes and looks bashfully away. “But what if I wanted them to look like you?”

She laughs at him when he rolls his eyes. He says, “Nope. I’ve already decided, they are going to look like you.” 

She lies back against the pillows, watching Peeta sort the pictures. She stretches out, and it must be the extra room from her stretching, but the buns start moving. It’s the little butterfly kicks she has grown used to, at first. Then the kicks get stronger and stronger. “Peeta look.”

He glances at her and doesn’t miss where she is holding her stomach. “What are they doing?” She grabs his hand and presses it to the side. “Oh wow, they are really moving now. Are you ok?” he asks.

“I don’t know. I didn’t expect them to move that much. I guess I’ll get used to them.”

Peeta sets the laptop aside and pulls her into his arms, as she settles against him with a sigh. “I’ve got you,” he says, “Just think of it this way, the more they move; the healthier they will be.”

“True.” They are quiet for a moment, enjoying holding one another. “I’m hungry,” Katniss whispers. 

He answers her with a chuckle. “Do you want barbeque or cheese buns?”

She sits up and says excitedly, “I want Chinese.”

“Orange chicken?”

She shakes her head. “Egg rolls and chicken fried rice, please.”

Peeta reaches for his phone. “I think I can arrange that.”

“Oh and get some of those crab meat thingy’s too!”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here she is!!! 
> 
> I need to thank Norbertsmom for the amazing stuff that she does. Trust me, if she didn’t help, you would know. Then I need to thank Alex and Gigi for reading through. You ladies help me so much!!!
> 
> I hope everyone’s summer has gotten off to a great start. I have been busy! Here is something you can read while hanging out by the pool ;) 
> 
> I don’t own anything…

Katniss marks off thirty weeks of pregnancy the last week of May. Peeta was going to take her on a picnic in the woods that she has been wanting to show him, but the buns have other ideas when they decided that her bladder is a nice soft place to rest. “I never thought I would say this, but I am so tired of going to the bathroom.”

Peeta comes to sit beside her on the couch at her house. “Surely it can’t be that bad, can it?”

She doesn’t even move up from where she is lying back with her eyes closed. “I have to go now, but I can’t move.”

She feels him move, but it’s not until he says, “Give me your hands,” that she opens her eyes to see him standing before her with his hands out. She smiles and puts her hands in his. He gently pulls her up and she waddles to the bathroom. When she comes back, Peeta is sitting on the couch with a bottle of her favorite lotion beside him. 

“Sit down,” he says.

She sits down beside him and replies, “you know, I’m so tired I’m not even going to ask what you are going to do.”

“Turn so that you are facing me and give me your feet.” 

“Are you going to rub my feet?”

She puts her foot in his lap and he gets some lotion. “Yes, I figured that you would like that.” he starts rubbing, and she can't stop the moan that escapes out of her mouth.

“Oh, Peeta. Damn, that’s nice.” 

“I don’t think I’ve ever made you moan like that before,” he quips.

“You’ve never made me feel like this before,” she groans back. 

He sticks out his bottom lip and puts his hand over his heart. “You wound me miss.” he trails his hand up her leg until he dips under the boxers she’s wearing. She watches him through half-lidded eyes, giving him a small but encouraging smile when she feels him rubbing the edge of her cotton panties. Her legs fall apart, and he finds her folds, easing them apart so he can find her clit. He rubs circles around it, but not touching where she wants him to the most. “You mean even when I do this—“ he plunges three fingers as deep as he can go inside of her, “it doesn’t make you feel good?”

“Damn it, Peeta.” She lifts her hips so he can go deeper. Her orgasm builds quickly, but before she can come, he pulls away and she groans in protest.

He reaches for her boxers and panties and tugs on them. She scowls at him, but lifts her hips anyway. Before she can say anything, he is kissing those same folds, seeking out her clit. She can't reach him, to pull on his curls like she usually does, so she plays with her breasts instead. It’s a delicious build up and a sweet crash when she comes apart under his tongue. 

With a self-satisfied smirk on his face he sits up and watches her as she tries to catch her breath. She wiggles her toes into his lap, and grins back when she feels how hard he is. “I need you to fuck me, please. I can’t move though.” 

He stands up and pulls his shorts off. She watches him stroke himself a couple of times. “Kitten, I don’t think we can do it on the couch. At least not like we used to.” 

She holds up her hands. “Help me up.” When she is on her feet, she gives him a hot, wet, sloppy kiss. “Sit back down,” she commands. 

He sits down on the couch and she turns around to straddle his legs. “Help me, ok?” He smiles when he realizes what she is going to do, so he holds his cock up, and helps her to ease him into her depths. She moans, “Damn, you feel good.”

“Oh no, Kitten,” he pants behind her. “You are the one who feels amazing.” She starts to rock, and he helps her with some gentle tugs. They come together in an explosion that leaves them both breathless. 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s a Friday afternoon when she drops the bins in the hallway in front of the door that has been shut since the wreck that took her parents, happened. “We’ll just keep the buns in my, I mean, our room. I’ll be breastfeeding anyway. Annie said the other day that it’s much easier to keep them in the same room as us—“

He drops some more bins beside the ones she just dropped. “They can sleep in our room as long as they need to, but we do need somewhere to put their toys and clothes. Unless you want to just move into the studio with me,” Peeta offers.

He smiles at her thoughtful look. “You know we could do that,” she says. “Just make the studio space our bedroom and the bun’s room. We are having twins, we will need all of that extra room. Besides, I don’t think we will be getting any privacy anytime soon after they get here.”

He turns her around so she is facing him. He grabs her arms and says, “Katniss, you know as well as I do, that this can’t wait any longer. We don’t have to get it done today, but we at least need to start. Do you want me to call someone? Finnick and Annie would probably come help if we asked.”

She shakes her head. “No, you’re right. We can do this.” She pauses for a moment. “I’ve got to do this. I mean, they are gone. They would want me to use their room for the buns.” She breathes deep and blinks fast. “Is it ok if I’m mad that they aren’t going to meet their grandkids?”

Peeta pulls her close into his arms while she sobs against his chest for a moment. When she pulls away, he wipes the tears from her eyes. “We can wait—“

She shakes her head. “Let’s get started.”

Kpkpkpkp

“I’m hungry.” 

“I thought that was your stomach growling.” 

She sets down the stack of clothes that she is trying not to think about how much they still smell like her dad. “Do we have leftovers?”

Before he can say anything else, they hear the kitchen door slam open from the spring wind blowing through and then gently shut. Katniss stands up and starts to the door when Prim meets her in the doorway. 

All Prim can do is look around the room. Katniss doesn’t miss how she eyes the bins, the clothes on the bed, and the dresser drawers open and emptied. “What are you doing?” she whispers.

Katniss takes a deep breath and is so glad that Peeta comes up behind her. She doesn’t think that Prim even notices him. “I’m going to clean this out for the babies. That way you could still have your room when you come home.”

Prim pushes her way into the room and goes to the pile of their mother’s clothes on the bed. She whispers a pained, “Oh, Mama.” She picks up the clothes, hugs them to her chest and sits down in their place on the bed. “They aren’t coming back, are they? I still can’t believe they are gone.” 

Katniss watches her sister, and says, “You never let yourself grieve, did you?”

Prim finally looks up from hugging the clothes, and replies, “No. I guess I never did. It was so easy to shut the door and pretend that they are on a trip or something. Then I started school and left home.” She sighs and it’s a mournful sound. “I let myself get too busy.”

Katniss comes over and pushes clothes out of the way so she can sit down next to her sister. She doesn’t put her arm around Prim like she wants to, but she does nudge her shoulder. “Do you want a minute by yourself? Maybe pick out somethings that you would like to keep?”

Prim stands up and walks over to her mother’s dresser. Katniss knows that Prim sees the bottle of her favorite perfume is still there, lid off from where she just sprayed it before going out the door that night. Her favorite earrings are there in the little dish where she would put them with her rings. Her stethoscope hanging on the mirror. Wedged in the mirror are the drawings they made for Mama all throughout their lives. “She really did keep everything, didn’t she?”

Katniss comes up behind her. “She did. In the closet is a bin with the rest of the stuff we would make for her. You know, she has every flower we gave her in the freezer. Dad saved everything too.” 

Prim surprises her when she whirls and throws her arms around her in a hug. Katniss hugs her back and the sisters stand there for a moment leaning on each other. 

Prim pulls away and goes over to Peeta. Katniss can see the flash of concern on his face before he schools it into his performance mask. She stops before him and grabs his hands. “I need to apologize to you. What I did, what I accused you of was just horrible.” She looks back at Katniss. “I ruined everything that you two were building together. I’m not sure what happened, but I’m glad that you have found one another again.”

Peeta pulls the Everdeen women into a big group hug. Katniss pulls back and asks, “What are you doing home? Why didn’t you call and tell me?”

Prim shrugs. “I got the weekend off so I came on home. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, you did,” Katniss says. “And now, you can help us go through this stuff.”

Prim has a sad smile on her face as she nods. “I think I picked a good weekend to come home.”

Kpkpkpkp

The tall grasses almost hide the toddlers that she trails through the meadow. Giggles dance on the summer breeze bringing their laughter to her ears. She joins in their giggles when she growls, “Mama is going to get you.” 

Just as she is about to grab them and see their little faces, she begins to smell cheese buns. Even the little ones stop and run to the other side of the meadow jabbering, “Daddy!” as they go. 

“Katniss, kitten, wake up. I brought you cheese buns for breakfast.” She hears Peeta’s voice across the meadow. Its only when she hears his voice again that she opens her eyes.

There he is, smiling down at her. “Hey,” she mumbles. “What are you doing?”

“I thought I would bring you breakfast in bed,” He says as he puts a basket on the bed beside her. She can smell cheese buns, and something else. Before she has a chance to ask, he says, “I made cheese buns, and bagels.”

Her smile is sleepy. “Is that why you went home last night? I wanted you to stay.”

“I know, but I wanted you to spend some time with Prim. But I’m here now.” He leans down to kiss her, and she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer but knocking him off balance. “Easy now. I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“Lay down beside me.”

“Are you sure?” he whispers against her lips.

“Yes. Don’t you know that sex, especially pregnant sex is wonderful in the morning?”

He chuckles as he crawls in behind her and pulls her into his arms. “I’m starting to think that you only want me for is sex.”

She loves the way his arms feel around her as she rolls, well tries to roll in his arms. She feels awkward and when he chuckles again, she must look it too. “Stop laughing at me.”

“What are you trying to do?”

“I’m trying to look at you when I tell you that I want you for your cheese buns too. Not just sex.”

He shakes his head at her and kisses her on the nose. “Well good. I want you for cheese buns and sex too. Oh and I like to tie you up. Let’s not forget that.”

“Well, we can’t do that right now, so you will have to be happy with cheese buns and sex,” she says teasingly. “There is always barbeque and walkers.”

“And Chinese,” he adds.

“Oh lord, no!” she groans. “We definitely can't forget that.” 

He starts to kiss her and she stops him when she puts her hand over her mouth. “I have morning breath and I have to pee.”

“I thought you wanted sex?” he fake whines.

She scoots to the edge of the bed and quips, “Yeah, your kids have other ideas.” 

She quickly finishes up in the bathroom, and comes back to see that Peeta is under the covers with his eyes closed. She slides back in the bed beside him. 

“There you are,” he whispers as he hugs her tight.

“You still have your clothes on.”

He lazily opens one eye. “I feel weird doing anything with your sister in the house.”

“She knows we have sex. I mean, I’m pregnant for goodness sake.”

“Is the door locked?”

“You didn’t lock it when you came in?” she asks.

“I didn’t think we would be getting naked.”

She gives him a playful push. “Go lock the door, then we can get naked.”

He smirks as he gets up. He quietly twists the lock, and then comes back to the bed. She can hear him start to whistle a playful tune under his breath as he undoes his belt. 

Katniss sits up in the bed with a grin on her face. He notices her watching, and asks, “Do you like what you see?”

“Oh, yes I do.” He pulls his belt from his pants in one swift motion, and Katniss exaggerates her breath catching. She requests, “Now wiggle your butt for me.” 

“Like this?” he asks as he shakes his ass for her. 

She moans, “Lord, you are so cute when you do that.”

He pulls his shirt off in a fluid motion and she comes to help him unbutton his jeans. “Are you in a hurry?”

“I want you,” she simply says. 

He joins her on the bed, and quickly pulls her nightgown off. “You are so beautiful,” he says, as he begins to kiss her. 

She loves how tender he has been lately, but right now, she wants him fast and hard. He is kneading her plump breasts when she grabs his hands. “Fuck me Peeta.”

He smiles at her and says, “I’m going to kitten. But first—“ and he reaches into her drawer where he put a skein of rope. 

She sees what he is doing, and grins at him, holding out her hands. He quickly obliges her and soon has her tied to her headboard. “You look satisfied with yourself,” she says.

“I am.” He doesn’t say anything else, but return his attention to her abundant breasts. He kisses and nibbles on them until she thinks she is going to explode when Peeta moves to softly trail kisses over her softly curving tummy. 

“Peeta! I can’t wait any longer.”

“Oh you can't?” 

She pants, “I can’t.” 

He sinks deep into her, and breathlessly says, “I can’t either.” He starts to move his hips in his familiar rhythm, and she gasps as a wave of love and desire for her man washes over her. 

“I love you,” she moans.

He stops moving and leans over to kiss her. “I love you, too.” 

Then with a gentle push, he continues until he gives her the greatest orgasm of her life with his following soon after. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss is already in the shower waiting for Peeta to join her when she hears his phone ring. She is rinsing the conditioner out of her hair when she hears him come into the bathroom. “That was Finnick. He needs me to come and help him move something.”

“But you said that today was our day.”

He peeps around the corner of the curtain. “I know, kitten. You get cleaned up, and then by the time you are ready, I’ll be back.”

She gives him a soapy kiss. “Hurry back.”

“I will.” He disappears around the curtain and she finishes up. Soon she is walking out of the bathroom with her mother’s old bathrobe wrapped around her. 

“I can’t believe you are still wearing that old thing,” Prim says, sitting on Katniss’ bed.

“You scared me!” Katniss exclaims.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Prim lays back on her bed looking up at the ceiling. “Let’s do something fun today.”

Katniss’ voice is muffled from inside of her closet. “Only if Peeta can go too. He’ll be back soon.”

“That’s fine. Put on something pretty.” 

“What are we going to do?” Katniss asks. 

Prim joins her in the closet. She reaches for the strapless maxi dress Peeta just bought her the other day. “This looks super comfortable. Wear this.”

“What are we going to do?” Katniss asks again, and this time she can even hear how irritated she is becoming. 

“Trust me. It’s going to be fun,” Prim says way too cheerfully. 

Katniss rolls her eyes and says, “Give me some privacy and I’ll change clothes.”

“Hurry. We are going to be late.” Prim says over her shoulder as she exits the room.

“Late for what?”

Only Prim’s bedroom door slamming shut answers her. Katniss holds out the dress in front of her and mutters, “This better be good, whatever it is.”

She quickly slides on the dress, and grabs her phone. She calls, but it goes straight to his voice mail. So she shoots him a text instead. 

Katniss: Prim is taking me somewhere. Call or text me when you finish helping Finnick. Love you.

Prim meets her out in the hallway. “Well you look pretty cute yourself,” Katniss observes.

Prim does a little half turn showing off her sun dress. “Thank you. Rue was cleaning out her closet and let me have it. I don’t think she ever wore it.”

“That’s always good. Well come on, let’s go.”

“First, you need to put this on,” Prim says as she gives Katniss a sleeping mask. 

“What is that for? Wait, is this one mine?”

Prim shrugs. “It was given to me to put on you. That’s all I’m allowed to say. Now come on! We are already late.”

“Can I get in the Jeep first before I put it on?”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Now come on!” Prim exclaims.

Katniss follows her sister out the door. Soon she has the blindfold on, and she can feel the jeep moving. The only travel for a short distance before they are stopping again. Katniss doesn’t say anything until Prim turns the jeep off. “Are we here?”

“We are. Don’t take the mask off yet.” 

Before Katniss can say anything else, her door is opened. They don’t say anything, but the cologne that tickles her nose is very familiar. She asks quietly, “Who are you?” 

Not saying anything, they gently take her hand. It’s Prim who says, “Go with them Katniss. It’s ok.”

She lets the stranger lead her and as soon as she steps onto the river-rocked path, she knows that she is at Annie and Finnick’s. Instead of walking up the stairs to go into their house, the stranger takes her around the house to their back yard. When they stop, she can hear other people. She says, “Can I look now?”

The stranger chuckles beside her and just when she begins to think of who he could be, someone takes off her blindfold. She looks to see who the stranger is, and she can't help but to squeal when she sees that it’s Cinna. “Oh my goodness!” she exclaims as she throws her arms around his neck. 

He chuckles softly in her ear, “I had to come and see what he did to you.” He backs up so he can take her in. “You are so beautiful right now. You are as radiant as the sun.”

She sees Peeta step up behind Cinna. “She has always been that beautiful, Cinna. But add to that her pregnant glow—“

“And she is stunning,” Prim adds. 

That is when Katniss notices what, or who is behind Peeta. She sees Cashmere with Cato and Portia standing together. Jo and Brue came back from Jacksonville. Madge and Gale are standing with Mags, who is holding little Gracie, while Annie and Finnick bring her a cup of punch. She recognizes several people from the brewery, along with Rue and her parents, and even her neighbor, Mrs. Lund. 

She accepts a hug from Annie along with the cup of punch. “Why are we all here?”

That is when Mrs. Lund comes over. “I wanted to throw you a baby shower. So I got in touch with your sister—“ 

Rue cuts in, “Who got in touch with me. Then I—“

“Tracked me down,” Madge adds. “And here we are!”

“And of course we wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Cashmere purrs. 

“I can’t believe you are all here.” Katniss says. She looks to Peeta. “Did you know about this?”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t. That is why Finnick wanted me to come over. So, surprise, Kitten!”

She can’t stop the tears that spring to her eyes as she looks at all of her friends gathered. She rubs her ever growing baby bump and says, “We are loved babies, we are loved.”

Kpkpkpkp

After numerous boxes of diapers and even more diaper wipes, not to mention the two cribs Peeta had put on the registry, there are so many little clothes that Katniss didn’t even think about how many she would actually need until she thought about how many times a day the buns will get dirty. There are pacifiers in every shape and size, along with all kinds of toys. Katniss thinks that they have everything for the twins; that is until Cashmere comes walking across the yard while Cato walks behind her trying not to drop two big boxes.

“What did you do?” Peeta asks as he gives her a quick side hug. 

“I’ve heard that these are the best and that the babies will love them. Go ahead and open them,” she says excitedly. 

They open the boxes together to reveal the fancy baby glider-swings that Peeta wanted. Peeta gushes, “These are amazing! You didn’t have to get them—“

“Yes I did. You two helped me out a lot in Vegas and then poor Cato here, he needed a change of scenery. That bitch Clove broke his heart.”

Even Katniss feels bad for him when he hangs his head. “What happened?” Katniss asks.

Cato looks at Cashmere for an approving nod before he replies, “She left us. She packed her stuff from before, left what Mistress bought for her, and left with Crane.”

“Come now, pet,” Cashmere coos to Cato. He comes over to where she is sitting and he sits on the ground by her feet. Katniss is getting ready to say something about them not doing that here, but when he rests his head in her lap and looks like a lost little boy, she can’t tell them not to.

Prim comes walking by and can't help but to notice Cashmere and Cato. “Oh no! Is something wrong?”

Cato perks up immediately when he sees Prim. He looks at Cashmere first, and Katniss sees her nod. He then stands up and approaches Prim. Before Katniss can ask, Cash says, “It’s ok. Our relationship isn’t what you think it is.”

Katniss glances around and for the first time she is grateful that Annie told everyone that they could give them presents whenever they wanted to instead of the traditional way of opening them in front of everyone. “What are you talking about?”

Cashmere smiles as she watches Cato and Prim talking on the other side of the yard. “That is the most he’s talked in a month.” Then she turns her attention back to Katniss. “When Cato came to me, it was as a favor to his father.” She chuckles at the look on Katniss’ face. “He is the captain of the police in my hometown. Cato was quite the trouble maker and was getting ready to go to jail. His father knew that he needed a lot of discipline in his life, and he thought that I could help. He’s been with me for almost two years.” She sighs sadly, “I’m going to miss him when he’s gone. You know, he saw his parents a month ago and they both cried when they saw the differences in him.”

“But where is he going?” Katniss asks.

Cashmere nods at where he is still talking to Prim. They are both smiling sweetly at one another. “I can see what you are thinking Katniss.” Cashmere losers her voice to a whisper. “We never had sex. He needed the discipline I could give him, not the sexual gratification.”

“Really?” Katniss is unable to hide the disbelief in her voice. “I never really thought about it much. That is amazing what you have done for him. What does he want to do now?”

“He has another year in school, and he will have his bachelor’s in criminal justice,” Cashmere proudly boasts. “He had to finish school. That was part of the “Taming of Cato”.” 

They are interrupted when Cato comes back over with Prim following. “Mistress, may I introduce Primrose Everdeen? Prim this is my mistress, Cashmere.” 

Cashmere stands up and Prim sticks out her hand. For a moment, Katniss doesn’t think she is going to take it, but then she does. “It’s very nice to meet you. Cato, are you going to take Prim out this evening?”

Katniss can't help but to chuckle at the excitement that appears on his face, and the uncertainty that crosses Prim. “You will be perfectly safe with him Prim.”

Cato flashes her a heartbreaking smile. “Oh may I, Mistress?”

“Wait! Is anyone going to actually ask me about what I want to do?” Prim asks, a little frantic and confused.

Cashmere nods again at Cato, and he turns to Prim. “Will you allow me to take you out for dinner tonight?”

This time, Prim looks happy when she replies, “Yes, I would like that.”

Katniss leans over to Peeta and whispers, “What just happened?”

“Cashmere’s sub just asked your sister out,” Peeta whispers back.

“That sounds worse when you say it like that. Will she be ok?”

Peeta nods. “He wouldn’t hurt her. She might hurt him. Submissive boys tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves.”

“Well, maybe they will be alright.”

Katniss stands up. “Let’s go talk to Cinna. I need to thank him.”

“What for?” Peeta asks.

“He helped you to get back to me. For that, I will be forever grateful.” 

Peeta leans in for a kiss. Before they can go anywhere, Jo announces, “I would like to thank everyone for coming today. I hope you don’t mind me making an announcement while we are all gathered so I don’t have to answer a lot of phone calls and texts--,” 

When Brue joins her, Katniss has an idea of what is about to happen, but when Brue adds, “Jo and I eloped. We got married last weekend.”

Katniss and Peeta join the crush of friends congratulating them. “I wish you would have told us. We would have come to be your witnesses,” Katniss fusses at them. 

Brue pulls her in for a hug. “It was honestly a ‘let’s go get married’ moment. It was us and the Chaplin on the base.”

“That sounds really nice actually,” Katniss agrees. 

Peeta throws his arm around her. She can tell that he wants to say something, but she kisses him to stop him. She whispers in his ear, “We’ll talk about it later.”

He gives her a nod and then they spend the rest of the time talking to their friends and family.

Kpkpkpkp

“I want to get married,” she begins, “but I don’t know when I want to.”

“We will when you are ready.”

“I mean, I want the babies to have your last name.” 

“I’m glad. I want them to have my last name, too. But I don’t think that whether or not we are married matters when it comes to that.”

“But I still want to marry you.”

“All you have to do is tell me and we will.”

She nods. “Let’s go.”

“What—“

“Let’s go. Just me and you. Let’s go get married!”


	22. Chapter 22

She marries Peeta on a Tuesday afternoon in June under her favorite oak tree in the meadow. He arranged everything, and she let him. Katniss wears her mother’s dress, a simple lace creation that Grandma Mags added a lace panel to so it would fit. He wears her favorite jeans, and the button up shirt she picked out. 

Their friends and family gather around them, with Prim and Cato showing up at the last minute, to witness as they promise each other forever with old Celtic vows:

“I pledge my love to you, and everything that I own.  
I promise you the first bite of my meat and the first sip from by cup.  
I pledge that your name will always be the name I cry aloud in the dead of night.  
I promise to honor you above all others.  
Our love is never-ending, and we will remain, forevermore, equals in our marriage.  
This is my wedding vow to you.”

When old Father O’Malley introduces them as man and wife, Peeta cups her face and looks deep into her eyes. The smile on his face is so big and bright, the corner of his eyes are crinkling. “I love you, Mrs. Mellark.” 

“I love you, Mr. Mellark,” she answers before he claims her lips in a searing kiss. 

Kpkpkpkp

After the simple ceremony, everyone meets them at what is now their house for the dinner Katniss and Peeta both worked on all day. She can't stop her smile when she sees everyone all together. 

“What are you doing, Mrs. Mellark?” he whispers in her ear as he tries to sneak up behind her.

She accepts the glass of sweet tea he offers and presses a kiss to his lips. “Waiting on you. What are you doing?”

He returns her grin. “Looking for my wife.” Her heart melts when she sees the tears in his eyes. “My wife. Do you know how good that is to finally be able to say that?”

“Do you know how wonderful it is to be able to answer to that? I love you,” she says wistfully.

“I love you.” He glances at their guests scattered around the yard and through the house. “Maybe we should have had this part at the studio?”

She gives him a confused look. “Why?”

He puts his hands on her hips and pulls her close. He kisses her on the nose, and whispers, “So I can steal you away. So I can make love to my bride all night long. Now we have to wait for these people to leave.” 

His words leave her breathless. “I’m sure we could ask them to leave—“

Finnick walks past Gale and Madge, with Annie and Gracie following behind. He interrupts her and she giggles when she sees the scowl Peeta shoots Finnick. Finnick just chuckles and slaps Peeta on the back. “Congratulations.” 

Annie gives Katniss a hug, then Katniss holds out her hands for Gracie. She is still amazed at how well the three month old fits into the crook of her arm. “Are you ready?” Annie asks.

“For what?” Katniss answers still making faces at Gracie trying to get her to smile.

Annie chuckles. “For your babies? Have figured out their names yet?”

“We are still throwing around some ideas,” Peeta says. 

“You know, we didn’t know Gracie’s name until we saw her. As soon as we saw her, we knew she was our Gracie,” Finnick adds. 

“I have some ideas—“ Katniss starts.

Peeta interrupts, “Oh, you do? You didn’t tell me.”

“Well, if you are nice, then I might tell you,” she quips back. 

They all laugh when Peeta scowls at her. Grandma Mags joins them, and they make room for her as part of their little circle. She stands next to Katniss and wraps her arm around her waist. “It won’t be long now till your little ones will be here. Are you ready for them?”

“No, but I don’t think I can get totally ready for them both.”

Katniss loves the grin that Grandma gives her. “I will be there to help you. Is that ok?”

She nods through the tears. “Yes, I would love for you to be there!” The two women wrap each other in a hug. 

“Gracie and I can come over to help too,” Annie offers. 

Katniss welcomes her into the hug. “Of course you can come too.” Then she coos down at Gracie who is still in her arms. “And you can come play anytime.”

“Can I hold her?” Katniss smiles at her sister who joins the circle with Cato following behind. She glances at Annie, who gives her a little nod before she passes Grace to Prim. This time its Prim who coos, “You are so cute. It looks like her eyes are trying to turn green.”

Annie nods. “I’ve noticed that too.” She rubs her daughter’s wispy hair that was black and thick when she was born. “I wonder what color her hair is going to be.”

Katniss adds, “It looked like she had lost all of the dark hair that she was born with. You know, it might come back red.”

“It might. She comes from a family full of red heads after all,” says Grandma Mags. 

Gracie interrupts everyone with an unsatisfied grunt. Annie asks, “What is a matter, baby? Are you getting hungry?”

Everyone watches as Gracie blinks twice, and then scrunches up her face. Before she can start crying, Prim gives her back to her mother. “I know what that means,” Prim says.

Annie holds Gracie on her shoulder and the baby grabs two handfuls of hair as she starts to root around. Katniss offers, “Come on. You can use the nursery. Peeta just finished it this week.” 

The girls head up the stairs with several other people calling out that they want to see the nursery too. Peeta chuckles and Katniss can hear him telling them that they can go up as soon as Gracie is finished. 

Katniss opens the door, and she can hear Annie’s gasp. “Oh, Katniss! I thought Peeta did an amazing job with Gracie’s beach, but this is amazing!” 

Katniss nods as she looks around the room again. Dark hardwood floors covered in a plush forest green rug welcome their feet. Two matching cribs, each grace a wall, with yellow bedding peeking through the rails. A soft white fan stirs the cool air coming in through the air conditioning vent. 

The amazing, breath taking part is what is on the walls. The mural of the meadow surrounds them, starting and ending at the doorway. It even feels like you can walk through the wall and end up in the forest in the background. 

“This is where we were today, isn’t it?” Annie asks.

Katniss nods. “Dad would take me there. It was our favorite place. I think Peeta painted every dandelion, every Mockingjay, every tree. It’s hard to believe that this was my parent’s room. I know, that they would love what he did.”

Prim’s voice comes from the hallway. “This is amazing.” She steps into the room, wiping her tears as she says, “They would be so proud of you and Peeta.”

“You think so?” Katniss asks.

“They would be. Come on. Let’s give Annie some privacy.” 

Annie shrugs as she gently sits in the rocking chair. She helps her daughter latch. Katniss starts to follow Prim out, but turns and offers, “You can let her sleep if you want to. We can try out the baby monitors.” 

Annie smiles. “Thank you.” 

The sisters stand in the hallway for a moment. “I’ve got to pee. Come on,” Katniss says.

Prim follows her into her room and sits on the bed waiting on her sister. “I know what you are going to ask.”

Katniss looks around the doorway. “You do?”

“I do. I don’t know why I’m still talking to him. He has to be the sweetest guy I’ve ever met. When we are together, he will do things for me before I even mention that I want it.” She sees the look that Katniss is giving her. “He told me. He told me everything and I’m afraid.”

By now, Katniss comes to sit beside her on the bed. “What are you afraid of?”

“That I won’t be enough for him. I don’t know how to be what he needs me to be,” Prim says with tears in her eyes.

Katniss puts her arms around her sister and pulls her close. “This is how I see things. Number one, you have spent too much of your life working to be a doctor, and you are going to finish that. Number two, just be friends with the guy. You are still in residency. He is still in school. He is trying to get his life back together and it sounds like he needs a friend like you do. Then wait.” Prim raises her head up to look at Peeta as he comes into the room to sit beside her sister. “I know that’s the hard part. Trust me, we know. You will know when it’s right.”

“But what if we, what if he—“ Prim stutters.

Peeta interrupts, “Wants to do the kinky stuff?” He smiles when Prim nods. “Well you could either run away screaming, or try it. He is a submissive guy. He is going to want to do things for you. He will actually tell you what he needs. Who knows? You might like it.”

Prim sighs. “Really? You think I might?”

Katniss shrugs. “You never know. To be honest, when I first started working with Peeta, the ropes scared me but the more I trusted him, the more I was able to let go and let him do what he knew that I needed. And now—“

“And now I know her, but I love that I’m still learning new things about her every day,” he finishes. “Just take this a day at a time. It’s your relationship. So make of it what you want. Not what anyone one else says that it has to be. If you want to tie him up and make him bark like a pup—“

A deep voice from the hallway interrupts, “I would be happy to do that for you.” 

“Cato.” Katniss smiles at the flush climbing up her sister’s face. “What are you doing here?” 

“Looking for you.” Peeta and Katniss both get up. Cato looks to Peeta with a pleading look. When Peeta nods, Cato has the biggest smile on his face. He sits down on the mattress next to Prim. “Why didn’t you tell me that you feel this way?”

Prim takes a deep breath. “I’m not afraid. It’s just been me and Katniss for so long. Then when I got into Duke, I knew everything else had to take a back seat for me for a while. Then I met you, and you tell me this amazing story about how you have overcome so much. I can’t help but to think about what you are going to need from me and I don’t know if I can give that to you.”

Cato looks from her to Katniss and Peeta. Katniss leans over to whisper in Prim’s ear, “Why don’t you two go to your room. We need to go back downstairs.”

Prim hops up and grabs Cato’s hand. He follows obediently and Katniss sits down in a huff on the space they vacated. “I worry about her.” 

Peeta sits beside her. “Why?”

“She takes everything so seriously. I guess he would be good for her.”

“I think he would be.” He stands up and holds out his hands for her to take. She gives him a questioning look, but lets him help her up anyway. “You need to eat. I know you are hungry.”

“I am. I wonder if there is any food from Lulu’s left.” 

He nods. “I hid some turkey for you.”

She chuckles. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

Kpkpkpkp

Since it won’t be much longer before the buns are due, and when they asked Betsey if they could take and trip she answered them with a dirty look, they decide to just take a long weekend trip up to Grandfather Mountain. They don’t do much but sit on the porch overlooking the mountains and have lots of mind blowing pregnancy sex. 

When they get home, there is a big box waiting for them on the kitchen table that Madge had thoughtfully put inside for them. Katniss sees that it’s from Cashmere, and steps away laughing. Peeta looks at her funny, until he also sees who it’s from. He shakes his head and pulls out his pocket knife. Handing it to her he quips, “You have to open it this time. Just because it’s from Cash, doesn’t mean it’s sex toys.”

She is still giggling when she says, “Oh no. I’m not opening that box.”

He rolls his eyes at her. “Fine, but whatever is in here, I get to keep it.”

She shrugs. “It’s yours.”

He opens the box, and is once again met by packing peanuts. He gingerly puts his hand in, and moves until he must finds a smaller box. He pulls it out and when Katniss sees what it is, she cracks up, almost peeing in her pants. 

She giggles harder at his confused look. “What is it?” He asks.

She reaches for the box, but he lifts it out of her reach. “Fine, keep it. Have fun with your new breast pump.”

“It’s a breast pump?” He looks at the picture on the box. “Do you think we can put it on my—“

“Peeta! No we cannot! Now give it to me,” she commands, reaching for it.

She rolls her eyes at the fake whine he has in his voice. “But you said—“

“Peeta,” she says. “Your children will need that more than you.”

He sets the box down, pulls her into his arms and kisses up her neck. “Maybe we can trade for the pump?”

She chuckles when he licks the super sensitive spot on her neck. “What kind of trade are you talking about?”

He keeps on kissing her. “Let’s just go upstairs and see what happens. Who knows, it might be enough for a breast pump.” 

She leans back. “I’m sure we can figure something out—“

He interrupts her when he starts kissing her until she can't breathe. He only pulls away when the buns start kicking where he is pressed up against her belly. “The buns are awake.”

She grunts when one kicks her bladder. “I’m ready for them to get here but I’m going to miss always having them with me.”

He presses against her belly button and they smile together when he gets a kick back. Then he leads her upstairs, where they fall into bed, snuggle in the covers and take a long nap.

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss pours herself a glass of tea and replaces the pitcher back into the refrigerator. She picks up the sandwich Peeta left for her and heads to the table. Before she can make it, a familiar sharp pain in her side stops her in her tracks. She has been having Braxton-hicks contractions for a couple of weeks now, so she breathes through it while she rubs where she hurts the most. 

Peeta is at his weekly session with Dr. Arden, then he is coming home to pick her up for their appointment with Dr. Oliver. Since she is now thirty-six weeks along, she is going in for not only the weekly checkup, but another ultrasound too. 

She finishes eating, and then stands up to walk over to the couch. The pain isn’t there this time, but her stomach tightens all the way across, stopping her from walking anywhere. After she has breathed through whatever that was, she finally makes it to the couch. Easing herself down into her spot, she checks her phone. She no sooner turns it on, than the yawning starts. The appointment isn’t for another four hours later on this afternoon. She no sooner closes her eyes, and is asleep. 

“Katniss,” she hears him softly calling her. “Kitten, wake up. We have to go see Dr. Oliver.”

She opens her eyes and loves that the first thing she sees is his Carolina blue ones. “Hey,” she says, with a sleepy voice. “What time is it?”

“It’s two. We have to be there in an hour. You must have been tired,” he comments.

“Why do you say that?”

“It took me a while to wake you up, and I know you haven’t been sleeping well.”

“I haven’t,” she admits. She holds out her hands to him. “Help me up?”

She loves it when he helps her. It’s one gentle swoop, and he has her off of the couch and into his arms. He steals a kiss. Before he can say anything, her stomach tightens again. As it hardens, she squeezes his shoulder. “Are you having a contraction?” 

She feels bad when she hears the worry in his voice, so she quickly says, “It’s just Braxton hicks. I’ll be ok.”

“Are you sure? We can go on to the hospital.” She can hear the nervousness in his voice. 

She tries to reassure him, while trying to stay calm, “Let’s just go see Dr. Oliver. Besides if we go to the hospital, we would have to wait for him.”

“Go change and we’ll go ahead and go.”

She readily agrees as she waddles up the stairs. 

Kpkpkpkp

She has always hated this part. The stupid kitten posters on the ceiling don’t help the fact that her feet are in the stir ups and her doctor’s hand is somewhere she doesn’t want it right now. She grunts when he pulls his hand out. “You are four centimeters dilated,” Dr. Oliver announces.

“How is that possible?” she asks as she sits up to look at him. “I’m not in labor.”

“But you are. It’s just not active labor. That’s why I’m sending you back home.”

“Are you sure about that?” Katniss doesn’t miss the panic in Peeta’s voice because she feels the same way. “What if she—what if they—“

Dr. Oliver slaps him on the back. “Babies are born every day, son. Yours will be here when they are ready. Right now, you need to take care of Katniss, so you both can get some rest. There is a reason why they call it labor after all.” 

“When do we need to head for the hospital?” Katniss asks.

“When your water breaks, or when you start having regular contractions five minutes apart. Now, if you lie down or sit down and they stop, then you still aren’t in active labor.” Dr. Oliver smirks at Peeta. “Go home, and have lots of sex. That will soften up her cervix so she can finish dilating.”

“You want us—“ Peeta just about stutters. 

“Sex. Go have sex. Or walk, though sex is more fun. After the babies are born it will be at least six weeks before she will be able to,” Dr. Oliver interrupts.” He turns his attention to Katniss. “Are you going to have an epidural?”

She shrugs. “I thought I would wait and see what happens. Is that ok?”

“You can ask for it any time before you reach seven centimeters. I also scraped your cervix. You might start losing your plug or you might not.”

“Thank you,” Peeta says. “Who knows, we might be seeing you again after a while.”

Kpkpkpkp

“Are you ready for them?” she asks as they walk into the kitchen. 

“I have been, I think, even before you told me that you are pregnant,” he replies. 

She grabs his shirt and pulls him to her, kissing him until they are both dizzy. He wraps her in his arms, somehow, even though she is 38 weeks pregnant, and she feels huge as a house; when his arms are around her she feels so safe and protected. She can't stop the tears that escape as she asks, “You really do love me, don’t you?”

He cups her face and kisses her tears away. “Kitten, Kitten. I love you with everything I am.”

Before either one of them can say anything else, Katniss feels warm wetness running down her legs. Mortified, she looks down at the liquid puddling on the floor, soaking both of their shoes. “Oh, shit. I just peed everywhere.” 

Peeta starts shaking his head. “No, I think that your water just broke.”

She looks down and can't help but to feel relieved. “Oh good, I thought I had peed.”

He chuckles. “I guess we are having babies today then?”

She shrugs. “Could be. I guess we need to get to the hospital then. Can I have something to eat first? They won’t let me eat anything at the hospital.”

“There are some leftover cheese buns.”

“That sounds great,” she says to him with a kiss.

Kpkpkpkp

At a quarter to nine, when she times the contractions to five minutes apart, she decides that it’s time to go to the hospital. When she hears Peeta sigh in relief, she doesn’t say anything because she is ready to go too. 

He helps her up into his truck, and in just a moment, they are on their way to the hospital. He turns on the local radio station and they finish announcing a wreck on the very road he is getting ready to turn on. He turns down another road, and she breathes a sigh of relief. “That wouldn’t have been good.”

“What, you birthing our buns on the side of the road? We could have handled it,” he boasts.

“Just because we can, doesn’t mean that I want to try it,” she starts to chuckle, but can't because of the strength of the contraction. He reaches for her, and she loves the way he supports her. After a minute when she can breathe normally again, she says, “That one hurt.”

He doesn’t say anything, but she can tell by the way he tightens his mouth that he is worried about her. She grips his hand and doesn’t let go when another contraction hits, closing her eyes so she can breathe through the pain.

She feels the truck slow down and she slowly opens her eyes to see the hospital. He pulls up in the emergency lane, but she shakes her head at him. “I can walk. Don’t leave me alone in there.”

He is able to quickly find a spot, and they start to walk in together, but Katniss has to stop in the middle of the parking lot to wait for a contraction to pass. When she can focus again, the worried look is back on Peeta’s face. “I’m ok. Let’s go on in.”

“Are you sure? Let me go and get you a wheelchair.” 

She shakes her head. “Walking is good. It will get them here quicker.”

No sooner than she walks into the emergency room when they are met by an aide who brings her a wheelchair, then onto the elevator to take them up the three floors to delivery. 

“But I don’t want to lay down, I want to walk, I need to walk,” Katniss tells the nurse whose name tag reads “Amiee”.

“I know Mrs. Mellark but Betsey is on the way to check you.”

“You didn’t tell me that Betsey is here,” Katniss says perking up at her words.

“She just got here—“

“Who just got here?” Betsey interrupts. Katniss greets her with a happy hug.

“I’m glad that you are here,” Katniss gushes while Peeta helps her into the bed. As soon as she lays down, another contraction starts. He grabs a hold of her hand and doesn’t let go. 

Breathing deeply, Betsey whispers, “Are they starting to hurt sweetie?”

Katniss nods and sighs in relief when that one is finished. “They are.”

Betsey sits down on the bed by her feet. “Let me in there to check you dear.” 

Katniss grunts while Betsey works and watches Betsey smile at Peeta. “Good job dears. You are eight centimeters.”

“I am? Oh that’s great.”

Betsey nods. “It is. Let me go call Dr. Oliver.” 

Betsey gets up, taking her gloves off. Before she can walk out, Katniss asks, “Can I get up and walk?”

“Why don’t you stay in the bed and rest for a little bit? Aimee is going to start a catheter.” Katniss doesn’t miss the nod between the women. “I’ll be right back.”

Aimee approaches the bed and tucks the sheet around Katniss. “Just close your eyes for a moment and rest. I also need to start an IV.”

Peeta squeezes her hand trying to reassure her. “They will be here in a little bit,” he whispers, the excitement making his eyes light up. 

The next contraction starts, and she doesn’t miss Peeta breathing with her. When this one is done, they look up to see Betsey, followed by Brittney rolling in an ultrasound machine. “It’s ok Katniss. We are just going to take a quick look to see what these little ones are doing.”

Brittney pats her on the shoulder, while Betsey turns on the machine. “It’s good to see you again.”

All Katniss has time to do is nod while she pushes the sheet off of her huge stomach. They know the routine so well by now, and even know what to look for on the screen. Katniss breaks the silence, “Neither one of them is head down, are they?”

“That’s what it looks like,” Dr. Oliver’s booming voice answers from the doorway. “They are just having so much fun playing in there, they forgot to turn back around.” He approaches the bed. “We’ll have to go ahead with a C-section.”

Peeta brushes the tear from her cheek. “Are you ok? Don’t be disappointed.”

She nods. “Yeah, as long as they are healthy, right?”

Peeta nods while Dr. Oliver announces, “Ladies, and Peeta. Let’s get ready for surgery.” 

In just a moment, Aimee is pushing her bed down the hallway, while Brittney takes Peeta with her through another door. “It’s ok. He’s got to change into scrubs.” Some of the other nurses hold open the swinging doors to surgery and Aimee bids them, “Thank you.”

Another doctor comes into Katniss’ view and Aimee helps her to sit up. “Are you ok?” She waits for Katniss to nod and then continues, “This is Dr. Coggins. He is going to put in your spinal.” 

She tries to sit up on the edge of the bed, but she can really feel the pressure from the babies. All of a sudden, Peeta is there, helping her. Even while she’s in labor she doesn’t miss how cute he is in his mint green surgical scrubs. “Hey, ask someone if you get to keep those.” 

He chuckles as he cradles her head against his chest. “You think I’m sexy, do you?” 

She tries not to think about how big the needle is, going into her back. “I think that is what got us into this mess,” she whispers. 

She feels something cold flowing into her back. “How are you feeling now, Mrs. Mellark?”

The relief is instant. “Much better. That is some good medicine,” she says. Peeta and Dr. Coggins help her to lie back down on the surgery table. 

Brittney sets a stool by her head. “Peeta, you can sit here and wait with Katniss. We’ll get started in just a moment.”

They are quiet while Peeta watches everyone, busy with their tasks, while Katniss rests for a moment, being pain free for the first time in hours. “Well, I feel much better.”

He smoothes the hair away from her forehead and puts the paper hat on her head. “You do?”

“The spinal is working.” 

Dr. Oliver and Betsey come in, dressed in their scrubs. “Are we ready everyone?” Dr. Oliver asks. There are several yeses and several nods. He nods back.

Everything starts to blur as they raise the curtain. “Stay with the babies,” she whispers.

“But—“

“You stay with the babies, you’ll know if something happens. I’ll be ok.”

Katniss sees for the first time how afraid he is when the suction sound fills the room. Dr. Oliver says, “You are going to feel some pressure, Katniss.” and Peeta goes pale.

She squeezes his hand when she feels a tugging at her stomach. Over the top of the curtain, there is a flurry of activity, then a strong cry. Her silver eyes meet his Carolina blue ones. “I want to see,” she croaks out through her tears. 

“You ready, Mama?” Betsey asks as she shows her a little, blue faced baby girl, scrunching her eyes against the bright lights of the operating room. 

“Oh Peeta!! She is beautiful!” Betsey lowers her arms, taking the baby girl to an exam table next to the wall. “Go to her,” Katniss softly commands him. 

Peeta nods in a daze, and walks over to where Brittney is cleaning his daughter up. There is some more tugging and another popping sound. This time the cry is louder, and Katniss’ tears are running freely now. Betsey holds up another little body over the curtain, and when Katniss sees the little one, she sobs, “You were right Betsey. Two little girls.”

Her eyes crinkle over the surgical mask. “I’ve been doing this far too long not to be able to read one of those silly ultrasounds.” She turns, and she and Peeta pass each other, each carrying one of the babies. 

Peeta sits back down beside Katniss and shows her the sweetest little face. She reaches up and touches the baby’s cheek. “There you are, baby. I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

The baby looks around for her voice and she looks up to see the tears streaming down Peeta’s cheeks too. He leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. Betsey appears at his side to hand him another little girl. 

“I want hold both of them so bad,” she says.

“I never want to let them go,” Peeta says. “What are their names?”

She smiles a gentle, happy smile. She puts her hand on the first born little girl and says, “This one is Daisy and this one is Violet.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss didn’t even realize that Peeta had brought his camera until they were in their room and he brings it out. 

She hastily runs her fingers through her frazzled hair and fusses, “Peeta! Let me take a shower first—“

He interrupts her with a kiss. “Non-sense. You are the prettiest I’ve ever seen you. Can you hold the girls?”

She tries to pull herself up in the bed but he has to help her. “Why are you doing this now?” she whines. 

He looks down with a bashful look on his face. With a quiet voice, he says, “Can I send a picture to my family? I think I want them to at least know about the girls.” 

She is so choked up that all she can do is nod. Gently, he picks Daisy up and places her in Katniss’ arms. He takes a couple of pictures, and then adds Violet. After he snaps those pictures, and gets Daisy back in the bassinet, he then takes some of just Katniss and Violet. He gives her a tired smile. “I can’t believe you are my girls.”

She returns his smile. “And nothing is going to change that.”

Kpkpkpkp

They go home in a couple of days. Grandma Mags is there, stressing the importance of getting everyone on a schedule, and within a week, the girls are on one, well as much as breast-fed babies can have. Peeta goes back to work at the brewery, while Katniss stays at home. 

When the girls are six weeks old, Peeta comes in one evening and she can tell that there is a lot on his mind. There is a lot on her mind too with her getting ready to go back to work. She isn’t sure how this is going to work, not when her heart is telling her to stay home with Daisy and Violet. 

“Katniss? Can we talk?”

Her heart sinks because of how serious Peeta sounds. She wipes her hands off and goes to join him on the couch. “What’s wrong?”

He pats the couch beside him. “Come here, Kitten. I have an idea.”

She sits and says, “Oh, you do? What is it?”

He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her close. “I was thinking today, and well, as well as the brewery is doing, and I’m starting to do more photography work, you can stay home with the twins if you want to.”

She leans back so she can look into his eyes. “Are you serious?”

He nods and nervously says, “Yes. I know you wanted to go back, and you can help me at the studio—“

She doesn’t give him a chance to finish when she is throwing her arms around his neck. Damn hormones making me cry, she thinks as the tears stream down her cheeks. “Thank you, thank you, and thank you!”

He whispers in her ear, “You mean you are happy about this?”

She nods. “You just don’t know what I was going through. I was so scared thinking about leaving them with someone who doesn’t love them like we do. Thank you.”

He squeezes her tight. “I would rather have you taking care of our kids. Thank you for doing this.”

Before either one can say anything else, Peeta’s phone starts ringing. She is so happy that she barely notices how pale he gets. He whispers, “It’s the bakery.” Then he clears his throat and answers, “Hello?” 

He pauses for a moment and she isn’t sure what he is thinking until there is a tear running down his cheek. “Hi, Dad. Yeah, those are my girls. They were born at the end of July.”

He pauses and Katniss can kind of hear what is being said by Mr. Mellark. Then Peeta says, “Yeah, that’s Daisy and Violet and they are six weeks old now. Aren’t they beautiful?”

The End!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers, 
> 
> Well, eight months later, here we are. Yeah, I know, I can’t believe it either. I just wanted to take a moment to tell each and every one of you thank you. You stuck around through the ropes and even the Vegas show. Wasn’t that weird? You know, I actually wanted to add more to that, more kinky stuff I mean, but it just didn’t feel right. You know? So it was more of a Katniss freaking out reaction. Then, who could forget Prim at Christmas? The sisters are talking again, but it’s going to take a while for them, to be as close as they once were with Prim being gone to school but some little baby girls might help with that too.
> 
> And then there are those of you who have reviewed every chapter. You know who you are and I know who you are. If I could, I would hug each and every one of you and have Graham make you some cookies. Thank you so much for reading along, and for taking the five minutes to even just send me a ;). (Yes, pughtwins, I’m talking to you!! ;)) it really does mean a lot! 
> 
> These stories, fics if you will, really do take a village to get them to you. You have ones who look for crazy and wild commas like sohypothetically and Norbertsmom. Trust me, if they didn’t help, you would be able to tell. Then there are the ones who preread for me my sweet pumpking, dianaflynn22, titania522. Then who could forget the abortion chapter, titania, izzysampson, famousfremous all were a big help there too. Then there is loueze, lutefisk, arden and smartalex who were a big help during the last chapters. Honestly, if Arden and Alex hadn’t offered to help me with Peeta’s therapy, that part wouldn’t have happened. Oh! And I can't forget Gigi. I owe all of you a great big thank you from the bottom of my heart. I owe you wine, or cookies or both!! Thank you ladies! This wouldn’t have happened without you. 
> 
> Well, my dear reader, I adore you. Thank you so very much again! 
> 
> Chele20035
> 
> (Next, I will be updating Apple Pie Moonshine)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!! I know, I know! You just thought I was finished with this universe!! I wrote this to thank you for your wonderful support.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!! 
> 
> I also send out a great big thank you to my amazing Norbertsmom. She looked over this in a matter of hours!

“Peeta! What did you do with the diapers?”

“Aren’t they in with the blankets?”

“Why would he put diapers in with the blankets?” she mutters under her breath.

“I heard that,” he says, making her jump. 

She scowls at him while Daisy starts fussing a little louder. “Your daughter needs a diaper.” Violet decides to fuss along with her sister. Both babies are looking up at their parents from the guest bedroom at Grandma Mag’s beach house. Sandy blonde curls that are just like their father’s adorn their scrunched up little angel faces. Their silver eyes look at her pleadingly. 

He finally hands her a diaper and says, “Which one do you want?”

She shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. Just grab one, then I’ll feed them, and put the down for a nap.” Soon, she is sitting, leaning on the head board, with an almost twelve month old in each arm, who are both fast asleep. 

Katniss looks up to see her husband, who still gives her butterflies, watching her from the doorway. She smiles at him and he whispers, “Are they asleep?”

She nods and he comes forward to help her lay them down in their pack and plays. Then the tired parents tip-toe out of the bedroom. They go on down the stairs, where Peeta grabs her as soon as her feet hit the hardwood floor and claims her lips with his own. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him right back. He breaks the kiss to murmur against her lips, “Happy anniversary.” 

She smiles against his lips. “Happy anniversary.” 

He steps away from her, and leads her to the couch in the empty house that Grandma insisted on them using for their first anniversary. “It’s time for your first surprise.” 

She looks, and there on the coffee table is a simple lunch. “Sandwiches?”

He nudges her to sit down then joins her and picks up the remote. She starts eating, and he turns the TV to their favorite way to relax, watching old episodes of Walkers. He notices as soon as she is done eating, so he pokes her and commands, “get up.”

“What?”

“Stand up.” she rolls her eyes, but stands up anyway. He lays down on the wide, over-stuffed couch, and holds out his arms. She lays back down, loving the feel of him around her. In just a moment, they are both fast asleep. 

Kpkpkpkp

“Mmmma, mmmma,” a little voice and a pat on her cheek wake her up. She opens her eyes to see both of her little cupcakes watching her. When they see that her eyes are open, they squeal together. She smiles at their excitement. 

“Where is Daddy?”

They are so sweet, she thinks, as they turn to search the room. Violet spots him first, and jabbers away. Her sister sees him too, and lets herself down to crawl over to him with Violet following. By now, Peeta has perfected how to pick them both up at the same time while Katniss asks, “How long was I asleep?”

“Almost two hours. I heard the girls upstairs and I went to get them. You never even woke up when I got up from the couch.”

“I must have been more tired than I thought.” She gets up, and goes into the kitchen. “What’s for supper?”

“I thought we would go out,” he says, following her. 

“I guess. It’s getting harder to go out now that they are bigger.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that we have a babysitter coming,” he says with a grin.

“Who?” she asks with a hint of disbelief.

As if on cue, the doorbell rings. He gives her a pleading look since his arms are literally full with the twins. She goes and opens the door and this time she squeals when she hears, “It took you long enough to answer the door, Brainless.”

Katniss throws her arms around Jo, and then Brue who is standing behind her. When they are in the house, she shuts the door behind them. The little girls who know their Jogo and Boo-boo from their monthly trips home, are almost jumping out of their daddy’s arms to reach them. 

When the girls are in their adopted family’s arms, Katniss asks, “What are we going to do?”

Peeta pulls her close, and kisses her on the nose. “Go get ready. We have somewhere to be.”

“That sounds interesting,” Brue says.

“The girls will be fine.” Jo reassures her. 

She slowly starts up the stairs with Peeta coming up beside her. He looks a little worried when he asks, “Is this ok? They offered to come—“

She interrupts him with a kiss at the top of the stairs. “Thank you,” she whispers when they come up for air. 

He kisses her on the nose, and when she turns to walk into their bedroom, he smacks her on the butt. She turns so he can see her scowl. “That hurt.”

He smirks. “Good. You have to put on what I picked out for you,” he sing-songs, following her into the bedroom. 

“And what is that?”

He holds out her bathing suit, and one of his t-shirts. “I thought we were going to eat?”

“We are,” he says while he pulls out his swimming trunks. 

She tries not to be concerned, but for once since the girls were born, it feels right to let him take control. For the longest time it felt they were all in survival mode, and just getting everyone fed and sleeping seemed to take all the energy she has. 

Peeta leads her down the stairs and they sneak past the living room where Jo and Brue have the girls. They stop for a moment to listen, and they both smile when everyone is giggling. Peeta then takes her hand, and leads her out the back door that leads to the beach. 

It’s almost dinner time, but since its June, the sun will be out for several more hours at least. At the bottom of the stairs is a deck that Mags had built years ago. Sitting on the table is a medium sized cooler. Katniss doesn’t say anything, but then she is surprised when he walks on up to the table, and opens it. She joins him in time to see the containers from the seafood restaurant down the street.

“What did you do?” she asks him with a smile.

“I know that if I took you out, you would worry about the buns the whole time. This way, we are all right here, and Jo and Brue just have to come and get us if they need us.” 

“Did you think of everything?” she murmurs as she wraps her arms around him. 

He shrugs. “I tried,” he says before he pulls her hand up to his mouth and kisses her palm sending wonderful shivers through her. “Let’s eat?”

She kisses his neck and he answers her with a moan. “I can think of other things we could do—“

He turns in her arms and she can't help but to giggle at the fake shocked look on his face. “You want to do something like that now? In public?”

She lets go of him and swats his arm. “We can probably take care of that later.”

This time he pokes out his lower lip in a pout. “Are you sure?”

She sits down, and opens the take out containers. “Sit and eat. Then we will see what happens.” 

They eat in silence, and for the first time in months, they aren’t having to help anyone eat, get washcloths, pick up sippy cups. “I know this sounds awful—“ she starts.

He finishes for her, “but we miss them.”

She sets down her fork and runs her fingers through her lose hair. “I’m going to go check on them—“ 

“No, you’re not. It’s ok if we sit here and eat a meal without our daughters. Besides, we might go get them and let them play in the water.”

She starts laughing at him and he joins her. 

Kpkpkpkp  
She carries the towels that Jo just folded up the stairs, but freezes in the hallway when she hears what sounds like Daisy saying, “Dadadadada.”

Then her husband’s sweet baritones. “That’s right, Daisy. Now you Violet. Say Dada.”

“Mamamamama,” is what she hears her other little angel jabber at him. 

He answers her with a gentle laugh. “Are you not going to say Dada?”

She hears Daisy again, “Dadadada.”

Then Violet says, “Mamamama.” She goes on into the bathroom. Peeta has the girls in the tub, and he is in the floor beside the tub, on his knees. 

“What are all of you doing?”

The girls see her and they splash happily. “I was looking for their towels.” They have had months to practice the bedtime routine and soon, the girls are dressed, and ready for bed. Jo and Brue come upstairs to give kisses since they are spending the rest of the weekend with them. 

The adults ease back downstairs once the twins are asleep. Katniss finds a seat on the couch that she was sleeping on earlier, and everyone finds a spot. It’s Jo who asks, “Who all is coming for the big birthday party tomorrow?”

Katniss wanted to do something for their wedding anniversary since they didn’t really get to do much for their honeymoon. It was Grandma Mag’s idea to also have the girl’s first birthday party at the beach. Katniss looks at Peeta. “Prim is coming, Gale and Madge are on the way, and Grandma is coming back with Annie and Finnick.”

Quietly, Peeta adds, “Dad and Rye are coming.”

She grabs his hand knowing that he is nervous about them meeting everyone tomorrow. “Have they seen the cupcakes yet?” Brue asks.

Peeta nods. “We went to the bakery. They haven’t seen Finnick again. I just hope they don’t say anything.”

Jo says, “Do you think they will? I thought everything was forgiven.”

Katniss adds, “It will be ok.”

Kpkpkpkp

The morning comes early for Katniss and Peeta. They head downstairs so Peeta can bake and Katniss can start decorating. It goes by fast, especially after the twins wake up. With all the adults helping, soon the food is ready, there are enough streamers to amaze the little ones, and enough hands to keep the girls out of trouble. 

It’s right before lunch when friends and family start arriving. Prim is first and neither Peeta nor Katniss is surprised when Cato follows her through the door. Cato is on summer break from school and working for Cashmere, and is spending it with Prim in Durham. 

Then here comes the Odairs in a flurry of activity. Gracie has been walking for a couple of months by now and as soon as she is on the floor, she toddles right over to Violet and Daisy who greet her with a chorus of happy jibber jabbers. 

Then Madge and Gale come in, earning more giggles from all three girls with their arms full of presents for all of them. 

It’s not quite the time Katniss and Peeta told everyone that the party is going to start, but Katniss doesn’t miss Peeta’s worried look as he glances at the clock in the kitchen and then goes to the picture window facing the driveway. 

She sneaks up behind him and wraps him in a hug. His hands end up on top of hers and she whispers, “They’re still coming, aren’t they?”

He shrugs and tries to look nonchalant but she knows him well enough by now to see that he’s just being brave. “They haven’t called—“

Movement from outside draws their attention and she can hear and feel his sigh in relief. He pulls one of her hands up and kisses her palm. She gives him a gentle shove. “Go meet them.”

He looks down at her and gives a happy nod then bounces out the door while she sends up a silent prayer thanking the heavens. 

She watches Peeta greets his father and brother. She feels someone come up beside her and smiles when she sees that it’s her sister. “That’s them?” Prim asks.

Katniss nods. “Yeah, we’ve been to visit them a couple of times.”

“How is everything?”

“It’s good, but I don’t think they have really talked about what happened. Peeta has mentioned to Graham that he wants him to go to see Dr. Arden with him.”

“Is he going to?”

“Who knows? Peeta is scared of messing up again, and Graham is afraid that Peeta is going to run away again. The girls are pulling them together,” Katniss sighs.

Prim nods. “Well at least something is. Sometimes all you need is a nudge in the right direction then the rest will take care of its self.”

“Tell me, what is going on with you and Cato?”

Prim looks around like she has a great secret to tell then she leans in. “it’s amazing. He is so sweet.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Prim shrugs. “Nothing. I just wish he would be more,” Prim waves her hand in a circular motion like she is trying to think of a word. 

“Dominant?”

“I guess so. I mean for once, I’d like to come home and have some slam-me-against-the wall, make-me- forget-the-crappy-shift-at-the-hospital sex. But he won’t do it.”

Katniss smiles. “Come on.” 

Prim follows her to the stairs. “Where are we going?”

“We are calling Cashmere. She can help you more than I can.”

“You know, I’m frustrated enough that I don’t even care.”

Katniss shuts the bedroom door behind them and dials Cash. She waits for the phone to ring, and then hands it to Prim. She tip-toes out and heads back downstairs. Her father-in-law wraps her in a hug when she reaches the bottom of the stairs and then passes her to Rye. 

She finds Peeta’s eyes and loves how they are lit up in happiness. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss collapses on the couch in between Annie and Madge. “Are they all asleep?”

Annie sets down her bottle of White Zombie Ale. “I think so. Next year we should just have one big birthday party for all three of them. That way we only have to do this once.”

Madge adds, “You know, that might be a good idea. Deal with the madness only once a year. But next year we will have to start partying in February.” 

Both Katniss and Annie look at their friend, who Katniss is just now noticing that she isn’t drinking. Gale says, “You told them.”

Katniss jumps up and almost shouts, “Oh my goodness!” Then she hugs Gale and then Madge. 

Peeta comes from the kitchen and says, “What happened?”

Gale pulls Madge up beside him. “We got tired of seeing all the fun all of you were having, so we decided to join the party.”

“You mean?” Finnick asks.

Madge rubs her beginning bump. “I’m pregnant.”

Jo starts laughing. “I guess in this group, we are going to do this two at a time?”

“What are you talking about?” Finnick asks.

Katniss says, “You mean?”

Brue nods and the biggest grin Katniss has ever seen him smile creeps upon his face. “Jo is pregnant too. She is due in December.”

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss is still smiling when they finally make it to bed. “What are you grinning about?” Peeta whispers.

“Everyone is having their own little family. New life is always wonderful.” She says as she pulls off the sundress she wore today.

He pulls her down onto the bed beside him. “You are wonderful.” And kisses her naked shoulder. 

“Oh, are we doing that tonight?” she teases him. 

He looks like a hurt little boy when he asks, “What, you don’t want to?”

She crawls over him, pushing him back as she goes. He lands softly on his back and she loves the way he looks up at her. He brings his hands up to her hips, and starts to creep them up her sides towards her breasts. She grabs his wrists and pushes them above his head. She knows that he could easily overpower her. “Not tonight,” she whispers. 

“Are you sure?” He asks before he flips her over onto her back and settles in between her thighs. She bucks her hips trying to dislodge him.

“Peeta,” she pleads but before she can say anything else, he is changing her mind as he licks up her neck until he finds her ear lobe. He bites it and then sucks it into his mouth. She moans when desire courses through her veins making her even more wet than she was before. 

“What is it, Kitten?” He murmurs against her skin while he finds a nipple through her bra. She arches against him, and he reaches around her to undo her bra. Once he has that off, he quickly throws her panties on the floor with her bra. He sits back on his heels and she can see his eyes roving over her. 

“You are over dressed, Mr. Mellark.”

He answers her by pulling off his shirt and soon the rest of his clothes join hers on the floor, he then stretches out beside her. She admires his hardness and reaches for him until her hand is wrapped around him, pumping him gently while he finds her center. They pump one another in tandem, until she shivers with her orgasm, and he pulls her hand off of him. 

He lays back, and says, “Come ride me, Kitten.”

She grins and eases herself over him. She guides him into her, and when she feels his swollen head in her entrance, and sinks slowly onto him. She lets a shuddering breath go while he sighs in happiness. He smirks and says, “Giddy up, cowgirl.”

She rolls her eyes at him and braces herself against his pecks, after she tweaks his nipples, of course. “What do you want me to do?” She slides back and forth, grinding her clit against his pelvic bone as she goes.

He has returned his hands to her hips and is increasing her momentum. She enjoys the ripples of delight flowing through her body, and he must have noticed the way her eyes are rolling back because he asks, “Are you going to come for me, Kitten?”

She moans, “I am. Are you coming with me?”

His grip tightens. “You first.”

Then, just as easily as he commanded her body to respond, she listens and would have come with a shout, but he pulls her down for a kiss before she has a chance to wake anyone else in the house. He then wraps his arms around her, and he snaps his hips, as he chases his own orgasm until they both lay there, panting in one another’s arms. 

“Thank you,” she says with a kiss.

“No, Kitten. Thank you.” He replies sweetly then they fall asleep together.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know… but writing historical is hard… anyways… there were several of you asking about Prim and Cato… and this was fun to write. So enjoy!!! As always, thank you Norbertsmom!!! She is such a big help!!! 
> 
> Oh! What did you think about that trailer? All I can think about is my poor Finnick and those stupid, scary lizard mutts!!! But the everlark kiss was the best part!!!! And I honestly don’t think I’m doing to survive watching it…

Prim lets herself into her apartment, dropping her messenger bag as soon as she is in the door. She shuts the door behind her, and out of habit from moving to a much bigger city than she came from, locks it behind her. It seems that she is the only one home when the silent apartment greets her instead of Cato, who had been meeting her at the door for the past month. She walks over to the refrigerator and as she drinks from her water bottle that he has been leaving for her since he learned that she is so thirsty after working all day, she remembers that Cato went to shadow today for the first time with the Durham Police Department to get in some credit hours for school. 

She continues on to the bedroom, stripping off her scrubs as she goes. It was another messy day in the ER and after the two wrecks that came in, one right after the other, she needs a shower. She scrubs quickly wanting to start supper before Cato gets home, since he’s been cooking for her every night since he’s been here.

Prim pauses in the shower thinking about him. She isn’t sure what they are doing, or even what is going to happen after he goes back to Cashmere. Her heart clenches a little. She likes Cashmere, but she can't help but to feel jealous that he is going back to her. One more year, she reminds herself, one more year of school then… then what? She shakes her head, not wanting to think about this right now. 

While she is throwing on her t-shirt and his boxers she hears the key in the lock and the familiar squeak of her front door. She hopes that it’s him, and rolls her eyes at herself. Of course it’s him since the only other person who has a key is her sweet old landlord, Mrs. Gibson. She hears his familiar footsteps and loves the butterflies that tickle her stomach when she is about to see him. She rounds the corner expecting to see him but he’s not there. Before she can turn around, she feels his hands on her hips and signs in relief when she hears Cato whispering in her ear, “I missed you today.”

She starts to turn in his arms, but his grip keeps her from doing it. “Missed you, too. Let me turn around?”

She feels him burying his nose in her hair, inhaling deep, making delightful shivers wash over her. “I talked to Mistress today.”

Prim is instantly filled with dread that kills her excitement. This is it, she thinks. He is leaving and that’s it. She tries to keep her voice even when she replies, “Oh, you did?”

She can feel him nod against her head. “I did.” His hands start drifting up her sides but stop just underneath her breasts. She can feel her nipples hardening in anticipation. 

“And what did you two talk about?” Even she can hear how shaky her voice is. 

He turns her around so she can finally see him. He is still wearing the police department t-shirt and the black cargos that he left the house wearing that morning. He wore his thick belt, which only adds to him almost being in uniform, and she can't deny how wet he is making her. He slowly backs her into the wall behind her. “She told me what you and she talked about when we were at the beach.”

She squeaks, “She did?”

She loves the smile that spreads across his face. “She did. So, can I?”

Breathless with anticipation she says, “Can you do what?”

Her breath catches when he eases the boxers off of her narrow hips. Then he lifts her and her legs automatically go around his waist and her arms around his neck. Her bare clit rubs against his shirt and she moans enjoying the sensation. 

He carries her over to the kitchen table that once belonged to her parents, and sits her down so that her bottom is right at the edge. She lets go of him, but before she can do anything, he has her shirt off and tossed on the floor. His hands grip her waist lightly, causing goose bumps to erupt under his touch, which makes her nipples harden even more.

“You are so beautiful. Can I have you?” he asks huskily. 

It hits her how he always asks permission. She mutely nods, knowing that she can't say anything right now without sobbing. She didn’t expect to feel this way about him and now that she does, it’s scaring the hell out of her. 

He looks at her as if he is undecided on what to do first. She leans back on her elbows, her legs falling open inviting him to come closer. He palms her breasts, silently accepting her invitation. He flicks her nipples making her gasp and lean into his touch. He doesn’t linger on them, but touches her all the way down her torso, until he sits in the kitchen chair in between her legs. She doesn’t miss the way he looks at her, like she is his prey.

He looks at her center, and before she can say it, he murmurs, “You are so wet.” Then he separates her folds and leans down claiming her clit in his mouth. She lays back on the table with a thump, unable to hold herself up anymore. He stops and she meets his eyes as he looks down at her. Concern fills his voice when he asks, “Are you ok?”

She nods. “Yes,” she pants. “Please, don’t stop.”

He smirks that sexy little smirk at her. “Yes ma’am.” And he lowers his mouth to her again. He sucks her clit into his mouth and she shudders as waves of her desire for this man, who came barging into her life with his gentle seduction, wash over her. 

He was going to shave his head last week, but she’s glad he didn’t when she tangles her fingers in his blond hair, pulling him closer as she grinds against his mouth. She feels herself getting ready to come, but he pulls away at the last minute. 

She looks up at him dumbfounded while he stands up. His shirt joins hers on the floor and she starts to sit up, but he stops her with a shake of his head. She lays there and watches as he unbuckles his belt. He must have already taken his boots off, because when he loosens his pants, nothing hinders him from taking them right off. 

This time, she sits up and slides down his tented, plaid boxers, unwrapping his hardness. She gently touches the mushroom shaped head, drawing her finger along his slit to gather the precum that that leaks. She glances up at him and loves the way he is looking at her, his deep blue eyes almost black with desire. 

She then does something that she has never done before when she puts her index finger that has his essence on it into her mouth. She doesn’t get a chance to really taste it before he groans, “Oh fuck, Prim.” And sweeps her off the table into his arms. Instead of carrying her into the bedroom, he eases down her legs until she is standing on his feet. 

He kisses her lightly and he wraps her arms around his neck. “Hang on,” his husky bedroom voice commands her. No sooner than she gets a hold on him, he is picking her back up and walks with her.

“What are we doing?” she asks shakily.

He chuckles that deep sexy laugh that makes her insides go crazy. He pushes her gently into the wall in the living room. Then he grabs her legs, lifting her up so they are eye to eye. She snakes a hand down to get a hold of him and guides him to her entrance. Once she moves her hand, he pulls her down on him, an inch at a time. 

She clings onto his shoulders and hooks her ankles behind his back, and hangs on. He kisses her neck while he brings her to a shuddering climax. He stills inside of her, still hard. “You didn’t come.”

He looks into her eyes and smiles. “I don’t want to yet. Can we go to the bed now?”

She smiles and nods. He doesn’t pull out, but carries her to the bed, setting her down gently while he follows. He supports his weight and kisses her dizzy again. Then he sets her heels on his shoulders, so he can go impossibly deeper. And there he drives them both to another mind-blowing orgasm. 

He collapses beside her, both of them a sweaty, hot mess. She turns her head, and she studies his profile while he catches his breath. She scoots over, and lays her head over his racing heart. He starts to rub her back, and she can't help but to feel his love. She does a little half roll, so that she can look into his face. 

“How was your day, dear?” She asks with a smile.

He chuckles while he is still rubbing her back. “We got to chase some bad guys, help firemen direct traffic, and I got a job offer.” 

She sits up quickly which makes her dizzy with her endorphin drunk brain. “A job offer? You still have to finish school!”

He finally looks at her, and for the first time since she has met him, he looks uncertain. “I have enough criminal justice credits to graduate. Mistress wanted to me stay for another year.”

“Oh,” she says, feeling defeated for some reason. “So you aren’t going to take the job?” 

She doesn’t miss the hurt that flashes across this face and all she wants to do is take it away. He says, “You mean, you don’t want this? You don’t want us?” He asks, starting to get up.

She tackles him, landing on his chest in a huff. Cupping his cheeks, she kisses him all over his face until he chuckles. She stops and looks him in the eyes. “I can’t believe that I’m saying this.” She doesn’t miss his face falling. “But I think I love you.” 

She doesn’t think she has ever seen a happier man when he flips her under him. This time it’s him kissing her all over until she giggles, “stop!”

He rises up, his eyes dark with love and desire. She doesn’t miss that he stopped in between her breasts and even now is nuzzling them while he lightly pinches her nipples. “I love you.”

“You do?”

He nods and her heart soars with the derpy look he gives her. “I do,” he repeats, and continues kissing her until he reaches her center and makes her come over and over again. 

Kpkpkpkp

She is off the next day, which is probably a good thing considering how sore she is. She is folding laundry when her cell chimes telling her that she has a text message. Katniss’ name flashes across her screen and she quickly opens the picture of her nieces covered in finger paint. She quickly presses the call icon at the top of the screen. 

Her sister quickly answers, “Hey. Hang on, ok?”

“Ok,” Prim answers and listens to Katniss asking Peeta to go put the girls in the bathtub. 

“How are you?” Katniss asks when she comes back. 

Prim can feel the goofy grin spreading across her face as she hugs his jeans to her chest. “Guess what?”

Katniss sighs, “Oh, Prim, you know how I hate that. Just tell me.”

“But it’s no fun when I have to tell you. Cato and I told each other ‘I love you’.”

Her sister’s silence speaks volumes and just when she is ready to say something she probably shouldn’t, Katniss asks, “Is he someone who can make you happy?”

Prim blinks fast when her happy tears spring to her eyes. “He is so much more than I could have ever imagined. I never even thought that a relationship could be this way,” she gushes.

She can hear her sister’s smile when she says, “It can be, and the wonderful thing is it keeps on getting better. I’m happy for you.”

“I’m happy for me too.”

“What is he going to do about Cashmere and school?” Katniss asks. 

“He shadowed with the police department yesterday, and they offered him a job. He said that he has enough credits to go ahead and graduate, but she wanted him to go for another year.”

“Has he talked to her?”

“He said that he would call her today. What do you think she will say?”

“I don’t know. I mean it’s ultimately his decision what he does, and she let him come out to visit you—“

“So she should let him go?” Prim interrupts. 

“I would think so. Let me know what happens. We need to get together soon.”

“That would be nice. I want to see the girls.” 

She can hear Daisy and Violet squealing in the background. “Yes, come home soon. I’ve got to go—“

Prim laughs, “Go, I’ll talk to you later.”

She is still smiling when Cato comes home later that day. This time, she meets him at the door, where he pulls her into a hug. He doesn’t’ let her go for a long minute until she pats his back, and asks, “What happened? You are scaring me.”

He lifts his head and looks at her before he gently kisses her lips. “I talked to Mistress.”

“And?” Prim asks impatiently.

“She wants us to come and visit.”

Prim freezes for a moment. “You mean?”

He kisses her forehead. “She said that she will miss me, but she hopes that I will be happy.”

“You’re staying?” she asks, disbelief clouding her voice. 

He picks her up and swings her around. “I’m yours now.”

She claims his lips, while he carries her back to their bedroom.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is this wonderful little thing that we do in the fandom, and that is on someone’s birthday, we write them a drabble. Well, on Tuesday it was my Viki’s birthday. So here is her drabble that is a one shot from twisted. Or as I call it, “how Gracie Odair got here”. 
> 
> Happy birthday, sweetie!!! I hope that it was a wonderful day!!!
> 
> This takes place before chapter one ever happens. This is why Peeta has to hire Katniss!
> 
> As always, thank you to the wonderful norbertsmom!!!

“Finnick,” Annie calls. “Peeta is waiting.” 

She hears his muffled voice coming through the door. “Why do I have to wear this thing?”

“You two decided on this, besides it’s to keep the ropes from hurting your junk. Let me see.” 

The door to Peeta’s bathroom slowly opens and her boyfriend of almost a year is standing there. She can’t quite place the look in his eyes, until he looks downward. Then she can't keep back the giggle that escapes her lips when she sees what he is so worried about. In the couple of years she has been modeling for Peeta, she has always done it alone. So when Finnick mentioned one day after watching one of her shoots that he wanted a picture of the two of them together- well it only took a heartbeat for the conversation to turn to tying up boy body parts compared to tying up girl body parts. 

Peeta’s answer to Finnick’s concern is what looks like a cross between a speedo and the top of control top pantyhose with the legs cut out. He is still trying to adjust himself when Annie steps forward to help, but he can’t stop fidgeting. She pushes his hands away so she can get a good look at his budge. His hands fly back to cover himself and he quips, “Eyes up here, Miss!”

“Ha-ha, you stare at me all the time.”

“That’s because it’s my job. Now let’s go find Peeta,” he says as he brushes the side of her breast. She is wearing her usual outfit when Peeta does a photo shoot her leather bikini bottoms and nothing else. “You are so beautiful,” he says and then steals a kiss. 

She blushes at his words and returns his kiss, this time however neither one of them can help themselves when the kisses lead to caresses. They get so lost in each other that they are both startled by the sound of Peeta clearing his throat behind them Annie buries her head in Finnick’s chest and loves the rumble that echoes when he chuckles, “One day friend, one day you will meet someone who you can't keep your hands off of.” 

“That will never happen. Are you two ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Finnick answers. Annie already knows that Peeta is weary of women, in the couple of years she has known him, he has never had a girlfriend. There was one night, they were drinking a lot of southern whiskey, and after Finnick passed out, Peeta poured out his heart to her. Tales of an abusive mother who never cared, and a father who lost him in the shuffle of life and two other sons. Now Annie can’t help but to feel very protective towards Peeta. Like he is a brother she never had, except that he ties her up. 

Finnick has a hold of her hand, and pulls her along to Peeta’s studio. She knows this routine well, and stands by while Peeta does the final adjustments. It’s Finnick who can’t be still. She mirrors Peeta’s smile when they both watch Finnick literally bounce. “Man, we don’t have to do this.”

That seems to settle Finnick a little bit. “No, I want to do this.”

At his admission, Peeta grabs a skein of rope and loosens it, letting the ends hit the floor. “Finnick, you first.”

“Why me?”

“Because I’m going to bind Annie’s arms and while she doesn’t mind it, it’s not her favorite thing. So I’ll do that last.”

She can tell that Finnick is very nervous, so she steps closer and grabs his hand, interlacing her fingers with his. They both watch Peeta find the bight of the rope as he runs it through his hands. Then he steps into Finnick, putting the middle of the rope behind his neck. Peeta straightens the rope like one would a tie, resting his hands on Finnick’s shoulders. “Relax, friend. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Finnick exhales, and she can see him visibly relax some, but not completely, as Peeta starts making knots down Finnick’s front. Annie knows this chest harness well, so she steps forward when Peeta needs to thread the rope through Finnick’s legs. 

She drops to her knees in front of him and helps Finnick to arrange himself on either side of the ropes going through his legs. “Now I’m glad you found this.” He waves to the area that Annie is working on. “If not, this would be very uncomfortable.”

Peeta chuckles. “I just didn’t want to see you totally naked,” he says as he steps around Finnick, easing the ropes in between his legs. 

Annie can't help the giggle at Finnick’s face when he feels the rope pressing against the seam of his ass. “It’s only weird for a minute.”

“It will always be weird,” he huffs. Peeta brings the rope up and pulls it through the other rope already at his neck. He then adds more ropes and starts zig-zagging it around his friend’s torso. Peeta finishes it off with a neat knot at Finnick’s back.

Annie has never really felt one way or another about what they do. It’s been a job and a paycheck up until now. But seeing Finnick like this, it makes her want to do bad things to him, especially when Peeta starts another skein of rope at his neck and starts doing a complicated series of knots down Finnick’s arms. For some reason, all of those ropes make Finnick look like some Greek God and it makes Annie want him like she has never wanted someone before. 

She clears her throat and both men look at her worried. “I’m ok. I just need some water,” she says, and goes to find her water bottle. She turns her back to the guys while she takes a big gulp, choking while trying to swallow and spilling half of the water down her naked torso. “Damn it,” she swears softly while grabbing one of the rags off of the counter. She looks over her shoulder and offers a silent thank you that they weren’t watching her be totally clumsy. 

“Annie, my sweet Annie,” Peeta calls. “It’s your turn.”

She turns to answer him as the rope hits the floor. She watches Finnick as he watches Peeta tie her up. In just a moment, with practiced hands the rope is wrapped under her breasts, then over her shoulders until he finishes it off nice and neat. 

Finnick comes forward reaching out like he wants to touch her, but Peeta doesn’t see him as he gets another bundle of rope bumping into him by accident. “I’m sorry,” Peeta apologies. “I didn’t see you there.”

Annie doesn’t miss Finnick’s flush. “You are going to add more rope?” he asks.

Peeta grins at the both of them. “I think you’ll like it.” Then, not for the first time, he starts the rope around her waist and in between her legs. 

“Is that one of your suspension ties?” Finnick asks.

Peeta, not even looking up as he twines the rope around her thigh, says, “Yes, you two are going to try something.”

“You mean?” she asks, not keeping the excitement out of her voice. 

“Yep,” Peeta says, straightening up after he finishes the last knot. “We are going to try the sex swing.”

Annie can’t stop the giggle and Finnick looks at her funny. “What are you talking about? Why are you going to tie Annie into a sex swing?”

“I’m not,” Peeta’s calm voice prevails. “You are.”

She returns Finnick’s grin. “Are you ready for this?” she asks.

Finnick nods slowly. “I think so.”

Peeta slaps him on the back. “Well come on then.” And he starts walking towards the metal suspensions rings he just hung the other day. He’s only used them once and that was right after he put them in to make sure they would hold her weight. Then he swung a couple of times to make sure it held him but instead of stopping at the rings, he points towards a black back drop against the antique brick wall. “Finnick, you stand there,” he points his friend onto the tarp. He grabs his favorite camera and snaps some solo pictures. Finnick starts posing, some serious, which only reminds her how sexy he can be, and then when he starts being silly, she and Peeta are both giggling along with him. 

“Come over here, Annie,” Finnick quietly commands. 

She walks over to him, not missing how serious he is all of a sudden. Her heart speeds up as he looks at her like he wants to eat her, and she thinks with a smirk, perhaps he does. He holds out his hand, and she steps into him as he claims her lips with a simple kiss. She doesn’t miss the way he is watching Peeta over her shoulder. “Show me the suspension tie.”

She can hear Peeta raising his eyebrow in his voice. “You are going to do it?”

“I think I can, after all, I was the one who first taught you.”

She looks up at him, feeling a little weak in the knees as she usually does when he starts to dominate a little. She wishes he would do it more when she says, “But we never did suspension or these complicated ties.”

He looks down at her, his six foot something frame still towering over her five, six height. “Are you doubting my ability to tie ropes?”

“No, Sir. Not at all,” she says. “If you think you can do it, then let’s do it.”

Before she can even think, Peeta is on one side of her, and Finnick is on the other. She just holds her arms up, and out of the way. Peeta starts telling Finnick how to tie and weave the rope around the other rope at her waist. It only takes a minute for the both of them to be done.

Peeta then goes and fetches what looks like a spreader bar, but once she looks at it, she sees the metal hooks at the end of the bar. He hooks it to the ring and then does several pull ups to test how sturdy it is. She chuckles when Finnick has to copy him. 

“Now watch, Finnick,” Peeta commands as he brings the rope through the ring. Finnick copies him, and Annie can feel herself being lifted ever so slightly off of the floor. 

“This looks promising,” Finnick murmurs next to her. She meets his gaze and her heart speeds up when she sees him looking at her like he wants to—

Peeta interrupts her thoughts, “Let me take a couple of shots, then I’ll leave you two alone.”

The lovers don’t say anything while Peeta arranges them and then shoots some pictures. Annie is already lost in Finnick’s eyes by this point, so when Peeta says, “I’m going to go run some errands.” While handing Finnick the safety scissors, Annie can feel her desire growing with every footstep Peeta takes out the door. 

They both hear the main door of the studio close behind Peeta and that is when Finnick is in front of her, cupping her face. He studies her for a moment before he mutters, “We are finally alone.” Then he starts to kiss her. He starts with her eyes, kissing her lids, then pressing a kiss between her eyebrows. Then he kisses the end of her nose, and barely lifts his lips off of her cheek, he caresses then places light kisses until he follows an invisible trail to her lips. 

He is leaving her so weak, that by now, she is glad that she is tied up, because she doesn’t think she could stand as she relaxes even more into her ropes. Instead of kissing her, he sucks her bottom lip into his mouth and nibbles on it. Goose bumps erupt all over as she sighs into his mouth. Her eyes lazily open and she loves it when his sea-green eyes look at her with as much longing as they are right now. 

His eyes don’t leave hers, but she feels his hands drift down over familiar trails to her breasts. He doesn’t really touch her, but what she feels is a light caress that make her nipples pebble under the promise of his attention. Instead of keeping his promise, he grabs a hold of the ropes supporting her and swings her back and forth. 

She wiggles against the ropes. “Touch me, Finnick.”

He keeps his hands on the ropes. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

She reaches for him, but he steps back, just out of her reach. “I need your hands on me, please,” she begs. 

He brushes his fingers along her hip, right where her skin meets the ropes, sending sparks of desire dancing along her skin. “You mean like this?” he asks as he barely runs his fingertips over her ribs, lightly tickling her until he cups her breast. “Or do you mean like this?”

He starts flicking her nipple and all she can do is moan into his touch. She reaches out and grabs the ropes crossing his chest and pulls him to her. “You are driving me crazy.” 

He smirks at her, and says, “And I’m not done yet.” As he steps away from her.

“Where are you going?” she asks to his retreating back. He doesn’t answer her, but he doesn’t go very far either. He reaches into the little refrigerator that Peeta keeps in the studio and gets a piece of ice. She watches him with a hint of a smile on her face and she watches him trying to walk with ropes in places he isn’t used to. “Are you ok?” she asks when he comes back to her.

He tries to adjust the ropes but signs in defeat. “I had this whole seduction scene planned out, but I’ve got to do something about these ropes.”

“Untie me.”

He looks at her disappointed. “But—“

“Let me down.” He loosens the ropes, setting her feet back on the floor. She leaves her chest harness and her hip harness on while she unties his knots. 

She giggles at his deep breath when he is free. “Much better,” he says. 

“Now what?” she asks. 

He reaches out and grabs the rope of her chest harness that lies in between her breasts and tugs her to him. “Let’s go home,” he whispers.

“You want to go home?”

He nods. “I want you in my bed. I don’t think Peeta wants us to have sex in his bed, or on his couch, or on his floor, or even on his counter top—“

She interrupts him when she giggles. “I understand. She lifts up her hair and turns around. “Help me?”

In just a moment, he has her ropes loosened. They pick them up, putting them into Peeta’s laundry basket that he has for used ropes. Annie and Finnick both know how picky he is and she knows that she will be washing them the next time she is in. Then with a grin on both of their faces, they race to put their clothes back on. He helps her to zip up her sun dress and turns her around in his arms. He doesn’t let go of her but asks, “Are you ok with going on home?”

She presses a quick kiss to his lips. While she wraps her arms around him. “Take me home, Finn.” 

He smiles that smile that she loves so much. “Anything for you.” Then they quietly lock the door of the studio behind them, walk arm in arm to Finnick’s SUV, and head home.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!!!! 
> 
> I wrote this is this wonderful thing going on over at tumblr called, prompts in panem. One of the prompts was bound... and yeah. You know I just had to!!! I need to thank norbertsmom, the amazing notanislader and this was originally written for my alex's birthday! Happy birthday sweetie!! This is also for you, who still get excited for my one shots! I will be doing another "update" this weekend. its the other one shot called, "Its my turn" its been up for a while, but I want to get all of my twisted "stuff" all together. Ohhh! and I'm so very excited to tell you! there is a new one coming out on Saturday by me called, "kink". if you enjoyed this, then you will probably enjoy that! I love you all! thank you for reading my words!

Katniss is in the kitchen, putting the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher when she hears Peeta answering the door. She listens as familiar voices greet one another then a shuffling coming towards her kitchen. She hurries and closes the dishwasher door when she hears a sweet little voice coming up behind her saying, “Kat. Kat. Kat.”

She smiles at the little girl who has baby fine curls are a lighter shade of red than her father’s is, but has the sea green eyes of her mother. Those eyes are the very ones seeking her out right now. She crouches down, holds out her arms for her and says, “Gracie, Gracie, Gracie.” 

The little one grins and continues toddling towards her. When she reaches Katniss, she throws herself at her adopted aunt, trusting that the adults in her life will always be there to catch her. Katniss swoops her up, and kisses the top of those sweet baby curls. Gracie meanwhile is returning the hug, even patting Katniss on the back. She shifts the baby to her hip and asks, “Where are your parents, sweetie?” Gracie answers her with a jabber. “Well, let’s go see if we can find Daisy and Violet. I bet they are waking up from their nap--”

Peeta enters the kitchen with a twin on each hip. When Gracie spies her little friends, and they see who their mother is holding, the kitchen echoes with excited squeals. Peeta nods towards the living room, and Katniss follows him. 

 

Katniss and Peeta set down the little girls. Gracie goes straight to the toy box under the window, while Daisy crawls after her and Violet, who just started walking after their birthday last week, trails after them on still unsteady legs. 

Katniss sits on the floor beside the girls who are starting to play, and Annie sits down too. Peeta says, “Hey, I’m going to show Finnick something. We’ll be right back.” 

Annie looks at her questioningly, and Katniss shrugs. “I have no idea. How are you?”

Annie grins. “I’m ok.” Before she can say anything else, Gracie starts bringing blocks over to them. Daisy and Violet come and sit in between them, and soon the sounds of playtime echo through the house. 

Peeta and Finnick come back, both wearing huge grins. Peeta walks right over to Katniss and reaches down. She places her hand in his, and he pulls her to her feet. Not surprisingly, it helps remind her how strong he really is. When he looks at her the way he is right now, she can guess what is on his mind and it makes her weak in the knees. He doesn’t look away when he asks, “Are you sure it’s ok?”

Somewhere behind her Finnick answers, “Yeah, you two go first.” 

While she hears Annie asking, “What are you talking about?”

Katniss scowls at Peeta, making her vibrate when he chuckles at her. He is the one who answers, “You and Finnick are going to baby sit for us, and we are going to keep Gracie tomorrow.” 

Katniss’ eyes grow wide. She doesn’t say it out loud, but mouths instead, “Are they really?”

Peeta nods at her. She then pulls herself loose and kisses the girls, including Gracie on top of their little sweet smelling heads. She looks at Annie who is grinning at her mix of confusion and excitement.

“Go! I know where everything is,” Annie answers before she can say anything. “Have fun,” she echoes after them in a sing-song voice as Peeta pulls her out the door. 

Kpkpkpkp

“Are you sure the girls are ok with Annie and Finnick?” Katniss asks looking around the studio.

Peeta is so intent on what he is doing, he doesn’t even look at her but nods. “You know they are fine.” He finally looks up at her and cracks a grin. “I’m starting to think that you aren’t ready.”

She rolls her eyes at him and puts her hands on her hips. “I am always ready for you. I don’t think you are ready for me.”

He takes a step towards her with a look on his face that even a year ago would scare her a bit, but now, she knows that he is ready to play. He looks down at her naked body, and she knows that when he licks his lips, he doesn’t even realize he is doing it. She takes a step closer to him, almost letting her bare chest touch his. He leans forward, so close that only a breath is between them. She can't tear her eyes away from his and closes in that last centimeter of space when he arches back. “You can’t kiss me,” he softly commands.

She scowls at him and he answers her with a warm chuckle. The sound of the rope hitting the floor reminds her that they are in fact, in the studio for the first time since the twins were born. She crosses her arms over her chest, glad that she can still fit into the leather bikini bottoms and, not for the first time, wishes she had more clothes on. Especially since she still has a little bit of a muffin top and she hopes that it covers her C-section scar. “Can I have a shirt?”

Peeta stops winding the rope through his hands and looks up at her. “What’s wrong, Kitten?”

She gives him a weak smile and for the first time since he mentioned that he wanted to take some pictures of her last week, she is having second thoughts. “Let’s just play. You don’t have to take pictures.”

He sets the rope back on his little table and pulls her into a hug. He presses a kiss on her forehead and murmurs, “We don’t have to do anything. What’s wrong?”

She fumbles over her words, “It’s been a while since we’ve played with ropes and I’m just a little nervous is all.”

He lets her go and steps away from her and she immediately misses his warmth. Before she can say anything, he slowly twirls her around. When she faces him again, he gives her that wonderful smile that makes her weak in the knees and says, “I haven’t told you lately why I love you.” She returns his smile, and opens her mouth to say something, anything, but he continues anyway. “I love the way your eyes light up when you see our children in the mornings. I love the way your voice changes when you wish them good morning, when you talk to them, when you sing to them.” He steps closer and his finger drift over her shoulder in a familiar trail down her arm. “Your shoulders are so strong. I have seen you many times carry them, and I think you could carry me if you had to. And I guess you did when we were apart. Somehow, even when you felt like giving up, you never did.” He presses a kiss where his fingers just were.

She doesn’t even try to blink back the tears that come to her eyes as he continues talking to her, “These arms,” he lightly caresses them all the way down to her hands. “These arms can hold the world if they need to. And yet, they are so gentle, gentle enough to hold us close. They not only protect the girls, they protect me.” He brings up her hands to his lips and kisses her palms. 

“Oh Peeta,” she whispers. He claims her lips in a kiss, hushing her before she can say anything else. She loves the way he can still make her feel even after having the girls. 

He smiles at her and cups her breasts. “These wonderful,” he pauses while he stops to kiss her nipples. “Breasts,” he says meeting her eyes again. “Fed and comfort those sweet angels. Not to mention how much I happen to like them,” he quips and chuckles when he sees her slight blush. 

He runs his hands down her sides, making her giggle. Then he lightly drops to his knees and presses a kiss right under her belly button where he would listen to their Daisy and Violet while they grew inside her. He looks up at her, with hooded eyes. "Inside of you, in this secret place, you kept our babies safe. Even during that short time without me, you did what was best for them." 

She runs her fingers through his messy curls and his eyes flutter shut when she lightly scrubs his scalp. He wraps his arms around her hips and nuzzles the top of her bikini right there where that scar is. She tries to guide him somewhere else, but he looks up at her again. He looks at her scar and starts at one end and kisses his way all the way across it. "Is this why you don't want me to take your picture?"

She doesn't think when she says, "I was so much prettier before that scar--"

He stands up quickly and grabs her shoulders gently. "It's because of your wonderful doctor and that scar that we even have the girls, that I even still have you." He gives her a little shake. "It scares me when I think about what life was like even a hundred years ago. I could have lost all of you--"

She shakes off his grip and throws her arms around him. "Oh Peeta! It's not a hundred years ago. It's now, and we are all safe." She leans back and kisses him. He returns her kisses and she can feel her desire gathering in her center. He pulls away for just a moment and she is panting for more. "I need you."

He grins at her. "And I want to tie up my wife." He soberly asks her, "is that ok?"

She smiles and simply nods. His grin returns, and he reaches for the rope again. He twines the rope around her torso, and it slides across her skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake and sends a shiver up and down her spine.

He brings the rope around her and through the valley between her breasts. He ties the knots behind her and then reaches around so he can cup her breasts while he kisses up her neck making her squirm in his arms as he gently flicks her nipples. She groans when he does this, and grinds her hips against his hardness. He bites her lobe and hisses in her ear, “I’m not going to make love to you until you are all tied up about three feet off the floor.” His hand trails down, and he easily finds her clit. He just barely touches her there, making her breath oh so ragged.

She feels her knees start to buckle, and he naturally catches her. He kisses the pulse in her neck, which only adds to the pleasure starting to course through her body. “Kitten?”

“Hmmm?” is all she can answer.

“I need you to stand for about five minutes. Then you can relax.”

She giggles as she catches on to his meaning. She stands on wobbly legs, and he quickly grabs a skein of rope. The sound of the rope hitting the floor makes her shiver in anticipation.

He loops the rope around her waist, and brings it through her thighs, and her moans are in time with the rope rubbing her sensitive skin. Before she gets totally lost in the sensation of the ties, she runs her fingers through his curls. "I just realized something.”

He doesn't look up, or slow down. "What's that, Kitten?"

"This is the first time my husband is tying me up."

That does make him pause and he looks up at her with a smile. "This is the first time I'm trying my wife."

"I love the way that sounds," she murmurs. She feels him press a kiss to her inner thigh before he stands up. 

He reaches for another skein and this time when the rope hits the floor, it makes her oh so much wetter than she already was. He weaves it into the rope at her sides. Then he wraps his arms around, bringing her flush against him. 

She giggles breathlessly when she feels all of his hardness pressing her in all the right places. Their lips meet, their tongues doing a gentle dance as he picks her up. She doesn’t even have to open her eyes to know that he is carrying her to the wooden structure in the corner. The very same one he first tied her on at that workshop so long ago. She breaks the kiss to ask, “Why don’t we do workshops anymore?”

He doesn’t stop until he gets to the corner. He sets her on her feet, and says, “I thought we were done with ropes. Do you want to do a workshop?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I mean it would be nice to do one where we help married people who have kids find the time to do this, but it’s hard for us to do it, much less try to tell others how to.”

He kisses her on the nose. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she echoes back. “What?”

“Just you being you. Whether you want to admit it or not, you are always trying to look out for others.” She hides her face in his chest, feeling the flush crawl up her neck, but she smiles when she feels his chest rumble when he chuckles at her blush. “I also love the way I can still make you blush.” 

He lets her go, picks up the rope on her left side, and reaches for the eye bolt secured in the beam above her head. “And I love you. You know what I love most about you?” she asks him. 

He freezes for a moment and she thinks he is going to look at her, but then he continues tying the rope after a moment. “What?” he asks his voice cracking at the end. 

He finishes the knot, and comes around to her right. He still won’t meet her eyes, and she wonders where her confident husband went. She stills his movement by placing her hand on his arm. “What’s wrong?” he looks worried, and she can no longer go anywhere, so she grabs his shirt and pulls him to her. 

“You don’t understand do you?” He looks at her confused and she can’t help herself when she pulls him the rest of the way to her lips. He accepts her kiss, and eagerly returns it. She pulls away, and looks into his eyes. “You want to know what I love most?” she waits for him to nod. “I love the way you hold me tight in the middle of the night. You are always so warm, I used to have to sleep under three blankets in the winter, but not anymore.” He chuckles when she grins at him as she talks. “I love the way you wake me up when you can’t sleep anymore. I love the way you play tea with your daughters. I love the way you let them climb all over you. I love the way you gave up everything that you worked so hard for, for your twins. I love the way you hate to get a haircut because you know I love your curls. I love the way you clean the kitchen after yourself. I love the way you kiss me. I love the way you tie me up. I love you.”

They hold each other close for a long moment then he steps away from her. She feels the loss of his heat, his hardness, but he whips his shirt off, and then quickly unbuckles his pants. She looks at him, with a little smile on her lips. He leans forward to kiss her again, but before he captures her lips, he growls, “I can’t wait any longer.” 

He picks up her legs, and she grabs ahold of the ropes. She leans back, trusting his ties to hold her. He spreads her legs, and puts one foot on his shoulder, and loops his arms around her knee. She loves to watch him enter her, and she loves to feel him filling her up in all the right places. Slowly he starts to move, and she can feel her pleasure building. It’s all she can do to hang on to the ropes when he finds her clit. He starts those maddening circles, and she just knows that he is going to tease her orgasm out of her. 

She knows that he has a hold of her legs, so she lets go, and her hands find her breasts. She smirks knowing that she has his attention now. She plays with her nipples, and he speeds up as she speeds up teasing her nipple. 

She can feel her muscles start to clench around his hardness, and he shivers in response. She moans when her muscles starts the sweet spasm and she can feel herself coming all over him. He lets go of her clit, knowing that she is super sensitive right after. So he grabs her other leg, and gradually builds his speed, until he comes shouting her name. 

Somehow, she still holds on to the ropes, while he collapses against her, resting his head on her breasts. She rests one of her hands on his curls, lightly playing with them while he catches his breath. 

She can feel him, still inside of her when he looks up after a minute or two. "That was amazing kitten."

"That was pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself."

He leans back over and kisses each one of her nipples. Then he asks, “I guess you would like to be untied?"

She grins at him. "Only if we can go to your old bedroom and finish this there?"

He smirks and after untying her, he carries her back to his old bed. 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s not that much later when they arrive back at their house, the sun is still out after all. Peeta balances the pizzas and she opens the kitchen door. It’s too quiet as they come in, and Peeta sets down the pizzas before he goes into the living room. She follows him, but she already knows that there isn’t anyone there. 

She motions towards the stairs and he nods. They quietly tiptoe as they go up. It’s not until they are at the top that they hear Annie and Finnick talking. The carpet muffles their steps, and they peek into the twin’s room. There in the middle of everything is Finnick having what looks like a tea party. Gracie tries to pour, Violet is chewing her plate, and Daisy is trying to feed Annie something off of her fork.

“Thank you, dear. Can I pour you some tea now?” Finnick asks his daughter. 

Gracie answers him with the one word no one tried to teach her, “No Dada.” She pours him even more imaginary tea. Katniss smiles when she sees her two freeze as they watch their friend. Daisy loudly grunts and Violet looks like she is going to go after the tea pot. Annie has other ideas when she gives them some cheerios instead. They are content to share them until Gracie looks up. “Kat!”

Everyone sitting on the floor looks up. The little girls head their way while the adults stand up. Violet and Daisy crawl over to them, and they each pick up one. Peeta then says, “We brought pizza.”

Finnick and Annie, who has Gracie, go on downstairs, while Peeta steals a kiss while little girls watch them. Katniss turns to follow their friends when his touch stops her. “Hey, do you really want to start doing ropes again?” 

She shrugs. “Right now, I want pizza. Then its bedtime for littles.”

He grins and kisses her again on the nose. “I can handle that.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I hope that all of you are having a very Merry Christmas!! 
> 
> So I hosted this little writing thing over on tumblr called Winter in Panem. I wrote this for you, my sweet readers. It still blows me away that any of you take a moment of your time to read anything that I’ve written, much less keep coming back to it. So this is my thanks. I love you!!! 
> 
>  
> 
> We are now at what would be the twins second Christmas, they are now seventeen months old, which makes Gracie twenty-one months old. I just wanted to give you a glimpse into what their lives are like now, and as you may already know, it’s Christmas time here too, and its full of family and fun that comes with them! 
> 
> This is all me. So I’m sorry for all the mistakes, and the hot mess that some of you may think it is. I do need to thank titania522 and notanislander. If it wasn’t for those ladies, well this wouldn’t be up at all. And I need to thank submissiveguycomics for his suggestion! I think you will like it!!! 
> 
> As always, thank you. I hope that this holiday season you get all that you need, and most of what you want. If you don’t get all that you want, maybe you aren’t supposed to have it yet. I do adore all of you, and I hope that this season is the most wonderful you have ever experienced. And I look forward to the New Year and the words we will share together. Hugs!!!!

“Daisy, please, baby. Put the puppy back on the tree,” Katniss asks.

“Mine, Mama,” Daisy answers before she crams the plastic ornament back into her mouth. Katniss sighs from across the living room with her hands on her hips. She shakes her head when her other seventeen-month old daughter joins her sister at the tree. 

She can’t help the smile as she watches their little hands, oh-so-reverently ghost over the ornaments that hang on the lower branches. Daisy still chews on the puppy, while Violet finds the kitten she picked out when they first put the tree up. How can she be upset at them when they always play with the same two ornaments. 

Katniss sits in the over-stuffed rocker that she has spent many hours in, rocking and nursing the girls. She can’t keep the smile off of her face as she listens to them jibber-jabber back and forth. Her eyes drift closed, and just for a moment, she lets her thoughts drift. 

She isn’t surprised when little hands find her, and jabbers turn to the echoes of, “Mama.” Opening her eyes, she bends and pulls them into her arms. She eases back, getting comfortable, while Daisy and Violet settle on either side of her. Her foot finds the coffee table and with a gentle push, the chair starts rocking. 

The girls slowly stop jabbering and when they sigh softly, she knows they are asleep. So she allows her eyes to drift shut as she chases her babies to dreamland. 

Kpkpkpkp

It’s a couple of days later on December twenty-third, Katniss can’t keep the smile off of her face when she hears someone pull up in the driveway. She flings open the door and giggles when she sees the someone she has been waiting, well months to see. Prim returns her giggle and the sisters envelop one another in great big hugs. The sisters separate only to be grabbed again in hugs. Prim by her brother-in-law, and Katniss by Prim’s boyfriend. 

“I’m glad that you are here,” Katniss whispers in Cato’s ear.

She feels him nod and murmur back, “There is no where else I want to be.”

They separate with a chuckle which makes Prim and Peeta look at them funny. Cato rolls his eyes, and throws his arm around Prim’s shoulders while Peeta finds Katniss’ side. Prim asks, “Where are the girls?”

“They just laid down for a nap,” Katniss answers, “do you two want something to drink? Or do you want to go on upstairs?”

Prim shakes her head. “We are fine. Stop treating us like company,” she fusses at her sister.

Katniss sighs with a smile on her lips. “Fine. I did change your sheets.”

Prim rolls her eyes while Cato and Peeta chuckle. Prim ignores the men and says to her sister, “Did I tell you Rue is coming to eat?”

“Yes, you did. Did you tell her what time?” Katniss asks.

“Have you figured out a time?”

“It will be ready sometime the day after tomorrow, on Christmas day, hopefully sometime around dark,” Katniss says. She doesn’t miss the way Prim nudges Cato towards the stairs. She also tries not to think about what they are going to go do.

“We are going to go upstairs for a minute,” Prim says following her boyfriend up the stairs. 

Katniss murmurs, “I can see that.”

Peeta bumps her and chuckles. “I heard that.”

She rolls her eyes at him, and smiles anyway. “Do you think he really loves her, or is it a kinkster-thing?”

“What?” Peeta asks.

“Oh you know. Prim is a strong-willed young woman. Do you think they—“

Understanding finally dawns on her husband’s face. “Do they have a relationship like he and Cash had? No. He does love her? Yes, you can tell by looking at them. Are you really wanting to know your sister’s kinks?”

Katniss opens her mouth, and closes it, not sure what to say, but mutters, “It’s not that. I’m just wondering how he went from being Cashmere’s slave-boy to living with my sister. That is a big difference, you know.”

Peeta nods. “It is. And I’m sure somehow, I hope anyway, that Prim understands that Cato wants to be dominated. Its not all the time, I mean I don’t have you tied up all the time, do I?”

She smirks. “Do you want me tied up all the time?”

He smacks her on the bottom making her jump. Then he growls, “Sometimes I think you need to be tied up all the time.” Katniss steps into his embrace and wraps her arms around him before she bites his ear. She chuckles when he jumps. She presses a kiss to his jaw when he growls, “I think you need me right now. Go upstairs.”

She looks at him, and can tell by the look in his eyes that he is in a playful mood. Wanting to tease him even more, she flutters her eyelashes at him and says while trying to be coy, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

He tries to keep a straight face, but Katniss grins back at him when she spies his smile escaping. He gives her a quick kiss, and repeats, “Go up stairs. Let me get something first.”

Breaking the little game they are playing she asks, “Would you bring me a glass of tea? Please?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

She watches him disappear into the kitchen, and slowly starts walking up the stairs. She listens for what he is doing, trying to figure out what he is planning, but all she can hear is him putting ice into a glass. “Oh well,” she whispers and goes on up to their room. 

After she pushes the door shut, she hurries to the bathroom. It takes her a moment but while she is washing her hands, she hears the door open again. In just a moment, she sees Peeta in the mirror behind her, coming in for a hug. 

His arms surround her, squeezing her tight. She watches him start to kiss her, starting with her ear earning him a shiver. He follows his favorite trail down her neck ending with her collar bone. She stretches her neck, wanting what he is promising, when they both hear the twin’s jibber-jabbering over the baby monitor. 

Peeta sighs, and she echoes it. “I guess they are awake?” He whispers.

“That is what it sounds like. We’ll have to finish this evening.”

“You promise?” He asks. 

She smiles at the hopefulness in his voice, and it warms her heart to know that this man of hers still wants her. “I promise.” 

Kpkpkpkp

The family decides to go out to their favorite Chinese restaurant for supper, saving the cooking for the coming days. At least that is what Katniss tells Peeta, and with Prim here to back her up, who is he to tell either one of them no. Besides he loves to see his little girls smack their lips when they eat their rice and the little bit of the orange sauce from the orange chicken their mother lets them have. 

It’s a happy accident that Finnick and Annie with little Gracie end up at the same little kitchen on main street. Katniss can’t keep the happy smile off of her face as she watches her friends who are as close as her family eating with her family. Not for the first time since Peeta Mellark has come into her life, she counts her self as a very lucky woman. 

She knows its him who finds her hand under the table. She gives him a smile full of joy, and loves that her heart still leaps in her chest when he looks at her like he is now. She knows that she has that same look of longing on her face too. They are interrupted by a clearing of a throat. She doesn’t even have to look to see that its Finnick who is sitting beside Peeta. She glances at him, and he answers her with a big wink. She can’t stop her giggle and he suggests, “You know there is a candlelight stroll on down the street here. We should go for a walk. I think there is even a band and dancing.”

She meets Peeta’s eyes and sees that he is excited too. He glances around the table, and asks, “How does that sound? Should we go?” Everyone nods and gathers up their things. In just a minute, they are on their way. 

Once they are out the door, Katniss can see the little paper bags on the sidewalk, guiding them towards the music that is now playing. They stop for a moment to get the girl’s strollers, then they all continue to the town square. They all pass people that they know, even Prim got to introduce Cato to several people she went to school with. In no time, they are standing in the square and a local band in playing Christmas carols while several couples dance under the stars. 

When Peeta grabs her hand, she looks back at prim who is waving at her, to go on out onto the make-shift dance floor. Violet even waves at them. When he sweeps her into his arms, and she looks into his eyes, everything else just fades away. When he kisses her on the nose, she cuddles even closer to him and whispers against his chest, “I love you.”

She feels him chuckle against her cheek and he echoes, “I love you, Kitten.” They finish dancing and its only when the band starts jazzy beat of the next song “Jingle Bell Rock”, that they stop. Peeta smirks and asks while trying to hop, “Shall we jive?”

Katniss laughs at him and shakes her head. “No,” she says breathlessly. “I can’t jive and you can’t either. Come on.” And she returns to Prim, knowing that he is following behind her. she slows down instinctively when she sees two people talking to Prim and Cato that she doesn’t recognize. When the woman looks up, and Katniss sees that its Johanna and Brue, the two women throw their arms around one another in a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming home,” Katniss says in Jo’s ear. 

They pull apart and jo answers, “It’s kind of last minute.” She bumps her hip against Katniss’ hip. “You two looked really cozy out there.”

Katniss rolls her eyes at one of her oldest friends. “Well, you know, we are married now. We are allowed to do that, you know.”

Jo interrupts Brue who is talking to Peeta and Cato when she slides her arm through his. She grins and says, “Yeah, I know.”

By now, Daisy and Violet are demanding Katniss’ attention, so she bends over and pulls them both out of the double stroller setting one on each hip. Jo smiles at them, and holds out her hands for one of them to come to her. The little girls look at warily, and its Daisy who calls, “Dada! Dada!”

Peeta turns with a smile on his face, and Daisy leaps into his arms making all the adults around them smile. Once she is in her father’s arms, Daisy starts to grunt and jabber, “Down, Dada.”

Gracie and Violet hear her, and they add their little voices to the chant of, “Down, Dada.” The circle of friends and family surround the little girls as they get to their feet in the town square. They hear the music that the band is still playing, and they start to bob up and down. Gracie even manages a couple of claps in her dancing. When Peeta and Finnick start dancing with their daughters, cell phones come out to record them. Then when Brue and Cato start too, everyone laughs along with them, even the little girls. 

Katniss, who is still standing beside Jo, nudges her. “I know you are eating Christmas lunch with your family, but we are doing supper, so come on over. I think we are even doing a white elephant gift thingy.”

Jo smiles even wider. “I love those. Yeah, we should be able to make it. What time?”

Katniss shrugs and Prim answers for her. “She said around dark, so whenever that is.”

Its Brue who answers, “We’ll be there, say around five?”

Peeta nods. “Sounds good. What time are you going to have your bunch there, Finnick? Is Grandma Mags still coming?”

“She is at home making her shopping list.” Finnick answers.

“What is she bringing?” Brue asks.

Jo slugs him on the arm. “Always thinking with your stomach?”

Brue grins. “That, and other parts of me.”

Jo slaps him this time. “Not in front of the children!”

Its Annie who says, “Grandma is making dressing, and chowder. Christmas morning, she is going to fix breakfast—“

Peeta interrupts, “You don’t mean—“

Finnick cuts in, “Yeah man. Grandma is making biscuits and gravy, ham, bacon, grits, hash browns, and eggs.” 

Peeta glances and Katniss. “We might have to go over there Christmas morning.”

Katniss shakes her head. “No, we are going to be opening presents at our house and you are fixing cheese buns and maybe French toast. And cinnamon rolls.”

Peeta pulls her to his side, and kisses her on the nose. “You need all that?”

She nods. “It’s not just for me, but for your girls. And Prim and Cato too.”

“Well, since you put it that way—oh, Dad called today.”

Katniss feels their friends listening, but she knows they are going to hear about it anyway. “Is he going to be able to make it after all?”

She loves the huge smile on his face when he says, “He is. Rye is coming too. They will be here sometime Christmas morning.”

Finnick slaps him on the shoulder. “That’s great man. I’m glad that everything has worked out for you.”

Everyone in their little circle of friends know how hard its been, well for the both of them when it comes to their families accepting their rope fetish. Peeta nods, and Katniss’ heart goes out to him when she sees how emotional this is making him. She slides her arm around his waist, and hugs him with little girls squealing in delight in amidst their family hug. 

Kpkpkpkp

Its early the next morning while Katniss is feeding Violet and Daisy their breakfasts, when Prim comes bouncing down the stairs. She pours herself a cup of coffee, and Katniss can’t help to note, “You never drank coffee before, why are you drinking it now?”

Prim shrugs as she takes Peeta’s chair across from her. “Work several shifts in the ER in a row. Anyone would drink lots of coffee after that.” She drinks gingerly from the mug. “What are you doing today?”

Katniss gives Daisy another slice of banana. “The girls and I might go and find some last minute things. Do you want to come with?”

“Are you going to the mall?”

Katniss nods. “More than likely.”

“Then yes, I would like to go. Let me take a quick shower and I’ll be ready to go.”

“What about Cato?”

“I’ll ask. what is Peeta doing today?”

“He has a couple of things to do at the brewery, then he might join us.” Katniss looks at the worried look on her sister’s face. “You haven’t gotten anything for Cato, have you?”

Prim looks down, guilt flooding her face. “I’ve been so busy picking up extra shifts so I could have some time off, that I haven’t had time to go shopping. Plus, I have no idea what to get him. Do you think Peeta would know what to get him?”

Katniss pats her sister on the arm, trying to comfort her. “We’ll find something. Let’s get ready to go. And Cato can go too.”

Prim shakes her head, and before she can say anything, Katniss adds, “Peeta can keep him busy, plus you can watch him, and see what he likes. Then we will distract him, and you can circle back around to get it.”

Prim smiles. “That’s a good idea. Is that how you found Peeta’s present?”

“Nope. I ordered him film and more stuff to go with his antique camera and the girls painted him a canvas.”

“What did you get me?” Prim asks.

Katniss says, “Nope, not until tomorrow.” She smiles as her sister cusses under her breath. “You didn’t get us anything either, did you?”

Prim looks sheepish and ducks her head. “I was going to pick you and Peeta up something today too. I do already have presents for the girls.”  
“What did you get them?”

“Little Duke cheerleading outfits.” Prim says proudly. Right at that moment, both Daisy and Violet squeal making their mother and their aunt laugh with them. Cato comes into the kitchen, still in his flannel pajama’s, and Katniss doesn’t miss how her sister looks at him and how he looks at her. Who would have thought they would be so happy together? 

Kpkpkpkp

The mall. Its not until she is trying to find a parking spot that she wonders if this is such a good idea after all. On the third circle of the parking deck, Katniss is about to suggest that she just drop Prim and Cato off when a spot opens. They manage to snag it before the lady in the truck giving them a dirty look. Prim barks out a laugh. “That’s my high school health occupation teacher, Mrs. Burnett. I can’t believe she just looked at us like that!”

Cato says, “Everyone is trying to do their last minute shopping. If she knew that you were in here, she probably would have given you a hug instead.”

Katniss watches her sister in the mirror roll her eyes. “You can be such a goody-two-shoes sometimes.”

“Well, he is a cop,” Katniss says.

Cato is chuckling while Prim says, “Well, that’s true.” They all get out of the Jeep, and after getting the double stroller out, and they settle the little girls, they head into the mall. 

When Katniss sees how crowded it is, she stops so she can pull out her phone. “I’m going to call Peeta and see if he can get Finnick to drop him off. He’ll never find a place to park.”

Prim nods and adds, “We are going to Dillard’s. Do you want me to take the girls? They can help me pick you and Peeta out something and you can go to Starbucks or something. Relax for a little bit.”

Katniss glances at her daughters who are jabbering happily. “Well, ok. Call me if you need me?” She asks, uncertain on what to do with just a moment or two by herself.

Prim throws her arm around her in a half hug. “I can do this. Go. Who knows, maybe Peeta will be here sooner.” She watches them walk down the mall hallway while she waits for Peeta to pick up. He must have said “Hello Katniss,” several times.

“Oh! Hey! Sorry, what are you doing?” she answers.

“I’m getting ready to leave here and come find you. What are you doing?”

“We are at the mall. Get Finnick to drop you off. It’s a mess out there.”

“You are at the mall on Christmas Eve? You are braver than I. I’ll get him to drop me off. Call you when I get there?”

She nods, even though he can’t see her. “I’ll be here. Prim took the girls and I’m alone so I might go over to Starbucks.” 

“You’re alone? Maybe I need to come right over there.”

She can’t stop the laugh that escapes. “I’ll be right here.”

“Madge is giving me a dirty look, so that means its time to go. I’ll be there in a little bit, ok?”

“Ok. I love you.”

She can hear the smile in his voice when he says, “I love you too.” They hang up, and she looks around while she puts her phone up. She sees the shop she was looking for, and quickly walks into the lingerie store. 

Kpkpkpkp

Somehow, in the Christmas craziness, they all make it back home, Prim finished up shopping, and Katniss was able to get a couple of extra presents that Peeta didn’t know anything about. Before they drop Peeta off at the brewery to pick up his truck, the adults decide that they want pizza, but everyone wants to stop at the grocery store, except for Katniss that is. So Prim and Cato jump into the truck with Peeta, while Katniss heads back home with the little girls. No sooner than she pulls out onto the road, that she looks in the rear-view mirror. Little heads lean towards one another in sleep. 

Soon she is home, and after she has them in their beds for their nap, Katniss sneaks back downstairs. She was so busy getting the twins in the house, she didn’t grab her bags. After getting her bags out of the back of the jeep, she pours herself a glass of wine, and heads towards her and Peeta’s bedroom. That way, if they get home before she has their stuff wrapped, she can still hide. 

Daisy and Violet wake up before she finishes, and its only then that she realizes that she’s been home an hour and still no Peeta and the rest of her family. She’s reaching for the phone and it rings in her hand as she is getting ready to call. “Hello?”

“There you are.” Peeta says, and she can hear the worry in his voice. “Where is your phone?”

“My phone? Oh crud, I bet I left it in the jeep. How many times have you called?”

“A couple. Its ok. The grocery store is packed. Do you need anything for tomorrow?”

“No, I think I have everything. What’s for supper?”

“Well, we can’t decide. Steak or pizza?” He asks. 

“I guess pizza? And you can make the girls some cheese bread?”

“Ok, that sounds good. See you in a little bit.”

“Love you,” she tells him.

“Love you, too.”

Kpkpkpkp

Even in the chaos of four adults making their pizzas in a medium sided kitchen, they still get everything done, and cleaned up by eight. While Peeta and Cato are working on the kitchen, Katniss and Prim give the girls their bath, and tuck them in. 

Katniss is closing the door behind her when the phone starts ringing. She hears Peeta pick it up downstairs so she follows Prim into her room. “Is Rue still coming over tomorrow?”

Prim nods, but Peeta showing up at the door keeps her from saying anything else. He holds out the phone to her. “It’s Madge.”

Katniss doesn’t miss the look on his face. She grabs the phone and asks, “What’s wrong?”

She can hear panic in her friend’s voice. “I need you and Peeta to get over here now, please.”

She puts her hand over the mouthpiece and asks Prim, “Can you stay with the girls?” Prim nods, and Katniss answers, “Ok, we’ll be right over.”

“Hurry—“ Madge whispers before she hangs up the phone. 

Katniss stands up, and goes to the door. “I’ve got my phone, call me if you need me,” she says to Prim.

“What happened?” Prim asks, following her sister down the stairs. 

“Peeta! We gotta go!” She almost yells. Peeta jumps up and puts on his shoes. Katniss turns back to Prim. “I have no idea what is going on, but I’ll call you if we need you.”

Prim nods, and just about pushes them both out the door. “Go. We’ll be alright.”  
They rush out to the Jeep, and when they are in and buckled up, Peeta asks, “Do I need to grab anything?”

“I have no idea. She sounded worried, so maybe? Do you want me to grab your tool bag?”

They unbuckle at the same time. Once they are in the garage, she grabs his tool bag, and Peeta grabs his gear bag. “You need that?”

He shrugs as he holds the door open, closing it after she walks through. “Let’s just hurry. You know it has to be something big if Madge is asking for help.”

They hurry over to Gale's house which is just a block over from Katniss’ childhood home. Only a couple of lights are on, but Madge must have been waiting on them because the door opens as soon as the lights shine on the door. As soon as Peeta stops, Katniss is out the door, trotting up the walk. 

“I'm so glad you are here. Come on.” Madge leads them through the house. Katniss and Peeta give one another a worried look when Madge opens the basement door. They slowly follow her down, not sure what they are getting into. 

They both gasp, and Peeta whispers, “Fuck me.” Then he says a bit louder, “What in the hell are you two doing?” because hanging upside down from an eye bolt screwed into a floor beam, is Gale, tied in a hogtie, hanging upside down.

Katniss glances quickly up at him hanging there, ropes crossing his torso, arms and legs. worry creeps in when she sees that his eyes are closed and it doesn’t seem that he is going to wake up. “Is he asleep?” She whispers.

Gale opens his eyes, making everyone jump a little. “I’m awake. She can’t get the knots undone.”

Madge’s eyes fill with tears. “I can’t believe this.” She waves her hand towards Gale. “It’s Christmas Eve and I tied my boyfriend to the ceiling for fuck’s sake.”

“Katniss, go get my tool bag and my gear bag out of the Jeep. We need to get him down from there, or is he the Christmas piñata this year?”

Gale chuckles with Peeta, and Katniss goes back upstairs while Madge exclaims, “That’s not funny guys! I mean it you two.” In the couple of years Madge has worked for the brewery, she has never sounded sheepish like she does now, “He wanted to try something new, and on the videos you make it sound, and look so easy.”

That’s when Peeta notices that Madge is wearing a baby pink corset and thigh high stockings and Gale is in his boxer briefs. He sighs, and says, “Show me the last knots you tied.”

Madge touches the ropes coming from what looks like to him a crudely made suspension ring that is hanging from the eye bolt. Peeta tries to pull the knot loose, but none of the ropes are budging. “You didn’t use any of my knots, did you?”

Gale’s eyes narrow on Madge. “What did you do?”  
“I didn’t do anything,” she stutters. “You were the one telling me how much more you wanted off the ground.” Madge crosses her arms in front of her. 

They all look when they hear someone on the stairs. Madge breathes an audible sigh of relief when she sees that its only her friend who is coming down with two bags, one in each hand. Its so quiet in the basement as they watch her cross the room, that she looks around nervously after she sets the bags down at Peeta’s feet. “What?” she asks.

Peeta gives her a smile, setting her nerves at ease. He digs in his gear bag and finds his safety sheers. “I’m going to hold him, and you are going to have to cut the ropes. Then we’ll ease him down, and get him lose.”

He hands Katniss the scissors and Madge steps forward. “I can hold his head?”

Peeta nods as he gets Gale around his waist. Madge steadies his shoulders, and Katniss starts to untangle the mess Madge made. She has to make a couple of snips, and soon Peeta is supporting most of Gale’s weight instead of the ropes. “Pull on that rope,” he tells her. She waits for him to nod when she finally finds the right one among the six that are still attached to the ring. She pulls, and it pulls him back up like a pulley taking Gale’s weight off of Peeta. Peeta says, “Trade places with me.” 

They switch, and she guides Gale onto the floor, as Peeta lets the rope slide slowly through his hands. Madge steps back when they set him down. Katniss grabs Peeta’s other pair of sheers and in less than a minute, they have the ropes off of Gale. 

He moans as Katniss and Peeta help him straighten out his legs and arms. In a flurry of movement, Katniss clears away the ropes, Peeta rolls him over onto his back. Madge covers him with a throw that she pulled off the couch. Then they all rub his limbs until he stops moaning. 

Peeta sits back on his heels. He sighs, and begins, “What were the two of you thinking? Madge, he could have lost limbs if you had kept him up there much longer. Why didn’t you ask if you wanted to know how to do this stuff? I would have showed you anything you wanted to know.” 

Gale is finally able to sit up, and he holds out his arms for Madge and she collapses into him. Katniss’ heart goes out to them. “Why don’t we show them something now?”

Peeta looks around for a clock and sees that they have only been at Gale’s for about fifteen minutes. “We could, the girls are asleep.”

Gale asks, “What are you two talking about?”

Peeta gets to his feet, and then helps Katniss to hers. they both help Madge and gale to stand. Peeta says, “Gale, go put your shirt on.”

Katniss is a little surprised that he doesn’t say anything, but goes to grab his shirt. Peeta grins at her, and crooks his finger for her to come closer. She returns his smile and when she steps closer, he pulls her into his side. He glances at gale and says, “First step, gather your woman close.”

Gale smirks, and grabs Madge, gathering her to his side. “Then what?”

Peeta bends down to his gear bag, and pulls out two skeins of rope. Katniss doesn’t miss how Madge’s eyes grow wide. He throws one to Gale and loosens the one in his hands. Gale mirrors him and Katniss can’t help how when the rope hits the floor, it makes her shiver in anticipation. She notices that Madge doesn’t share her opinion by the look of panic on her face. She doesn’t get a chance to say anything before Peeta starts telling Gale how to put Madge into a basic chest harness. 

Katniss never really noticed, but she hears Peeta’s murmur as he shares with Gale, encourages Madge, and somehow, never takes his hands off of her. Madge, after only a few minutes visibly calms down. By the time Gale finishes her rope corset, Madge has a grin on her face. 

“Do you want to tie up her hands, too?” Peeta asks.

Gale studies Madge, who blushes at his scrutiny. He then surprises her, which earns him a squeak when he reaches out for her. Katniss and Peeta both smile when they see their friends exploring the ropes. Not taking his eyes off of Madge, Gale says, “This is good, Mellark, really good.”

Peeta chuckles. “I think this is our cue to leave, Kitten.”

She doesn’t have to say anything, and Peeta follows her hands as she runs her hands over the ropes hugging her, loving the way they feel. He picks up his jacket, and places it around her shoulders since she really can’t raise her arms. He picks up their bags, wishes Gale and Madge a quick Merry Christmas and ushers Katniss out of Gale’s basement. 

They make it through the door, and Katniss calls out over her shoulder, “Don’t forget about dinner tomorrow!”

Peeta locks their front door behind them, and picks her up, even though this part, she is fairly sure she could have climbed in. He shuts the door for her, and hurries around the truck. He climbs in, starts the truck and much faster than they went to Gale’s, they make it home. 

Katniss knows, but she teases anyway, “What’s your big hurry, Peeta? You mean we can’t go shopping for last minute stuff?”

He growls out a, “Hush, woman,” as he pulls up in their driveway. He shoots her a look so full of want that it makes her knees weak. “Don’t say anything, but go straight to our room.”

Desire flows through her, and she knows that she shouldn’t ask, but she wants to push him a little bit. “What if Prim and Cato—“

He silences her with a hard kiss. “Go upstairs and wait on me,” he commands her.

The hardness in his voice, makes her thighs quiver. She reaches for the door handle, but he stops her with a touch on her leg. He slides out, and makes his way back to her side. This time, he picks her up out of the truck. Before he puts her down, he claims her lips again. When he pulls away from her, setting her feet on the concrete of the driveway, she moans against his lips in protest. He smacks her on the butt and growls, “Go.”

She turns to the house, and sees that the living room lights are still on. A thrill shoots through her at the thought of her sister and her boyfriend catching them. She tries to tuck Peeta’s coat tighter around her, but he is closer than she thought he is because when he whispers in her ear, “Are you trying to hide my work? Tsk, tsk. That’s not at all like you Kitten.” She turns her head but he stops her with a hand on her neck. “Eyes forward.”

She goes straight to the kitchen door, and turns the knob easy. She eases the door open, listening for the sounds saying that anyone is around. Before she can breathe easy, she hears Prim’s laughter coming from the living room. This time, Peeta lets her look at him and he answers her with that one eyebrow raised, as if he is daring her to do something. She takes a deep breath, and Peeta shuts the door behind them. Its silent in the living room until Prim calls out, “Hey you two. Are Madge and Gale ok?”

His hand, which is still on her neck, squeezes, encouraging her to answer her. Katniss clears her throat, “Yeah, they are fine now.” She meets Peeta’s eyes, waiting for him to do or say anything. He doesn’t have to because Prim comes into to the kitchen with Cato following close behind. 

Katniss’ eyes meet her sisters and she braces herself waiting for something, but it never happens. Instead, Cato takes her hand, and pulls Prim close to his side. He bends down to whisper something in her ear. Katniss can’t hear what he says, but when her sister turns a bright shade of pink, she can’t help but to smile. 

Peeta’s hand leaves her neck, and trails down her arm until he finds her hand. She watches him as he nods to the other couple and wishes them, “Good night you two.” As he is walking by Cato, Peeta pauses for a moment, and says something in Cato’s ear. Katniss doesn’t hear everything, but she can make out, “—bag is in my truck.”

Cato chuckles, and slaps Peeta on the back as he passes Cato on the way upstairs. Peeta stops Katniss before she can step on the first step and sweeps her into his arms, earning him a squeak in surprise. Its not until he reaches their room, and closes the door behind them that he asks, “What?”

As he eases her down, she asks, “Why did you tell Cato that?”

Peeta smirks. “He knows a thing or two about ropes. All of it, he learned from me.”

“Oh,” she says softly, “You taught him when he came and stayed with you?” 

He catches her around the waist and pulls her close again. “He has picked up on something through the years just like you have, I’m sure.” She nods in agreement and he grabs her earlobe with his teeth. She starts to wrap her arms around him, but he stops her when he takes a step back from her. He hooks a finger in the top of her shirt, that’s caught between the ropes. “This is the only thing that I don’t like right now.” She looks down in confusion, not sure what he is talking about until he says, “How much do you like this shirt?”

“Peeta,” she says, excitement making her voice quiver. “What are you doing?”

He pulls the safety sheers out of his back pocket and cuts her shirt. Then he grabs it and starts tearing the fabric until he can see the swell of her breasts spilling over her bra. With a grin, he cuts the rest of her shirt off of her shoulders. She whispers, “Do me favor?”

“Maybe,” he quips back.

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t cut my bra. This is one of my favorites.”

He nods. “I do like this one.” He runs his fingers along the lace of the cups. “Ok, I wont cut it.” She gives him a half smile, knowing that he is teasing her. He walks around her, and she can feel him examining her, but not sure what he is looking for. She feels his touch on the curve of her ass cheek through her jeans. “I’ve always liked these pants. But they are a little old, aren’t they?”

She shrugs, and is getting ready to answer him, when he pops her on the butt again. He’s only done this a couple of times since they have been together and she wonders what he is thinking. He is still behind her when he murmurs, “It’s a good thing you are getting some new ones.” 

He circles on around, finally meeting her questions gaze. He answers her unspoken question when he unfastens her top button and eases down her zipper. She waits for his hands to push the jeans down her legs, but instead she feels cold metal against her hip and the give of fabric. Katniss isn’t sure what it is, if it’s the basic need of being claimed by the man she loves with everything she has, or the thrill of him acting like this, but she is enjoying this. 

When he gets to her ankle on her left side, he stands back up and starts on her other side. In just a moment, the fabric falls to the side. He straightens and kisses her on the nose. There is a drawer behind in, in their dresser that has several skeins of rope. He reaches and comes back with one. Instead of reaching for he hips like he usually would, he motions for her hands. When he has her wrists, he begins a tie to secure them together. after she is tied, he asks, “Can you put them over your head?” She does what he asks, and from there, he ties her hands to the back part of her harness. 

He steps back to admire his handiwork, but frowns when he sees that she still has her underwear on. He hooks his fingers in the strap, and pushes them down her legs. “I like these too. They match the bra.” She chuckles and nods as he undoes the clasp and eases it out from under the ropes. He kisses he again on her nose. 

 

She grins at him, still not saying anything, enjoying the game they are playing. He grabs more rope and this time, the hip harness she has been expecting, he starts. When he finishes the last knot, he steps back to examine his work. “Now I’m glad that I brought the frame home.”

“The frame is here?” She croaks out.

He nods. “I was going to ask to tie you up tonight anyway, then while we were at Gale’s—well I just couldn’t resist. Plus, I know how much it turns you on to be tied up in front of other people.” 

“You know about that?”

He nods. “I do. I know you better than you know yourself.”

“You are probably right.” She watches him pull the innocent looking metal frame from the closet. Its already set up, so all he has to do is set the height. She steps closer to him, unable to do anything else, especially when he grabs the ropes at her waist and pulls her even closer. “I want to touch you,” she whines.

She sees the smile in his eyes even though he doesn’t say anything. the next bundle of rope hits the hardwood floor in their room, making her breathless with anticipation. He threads the rope through the harness at her hip, then does the same on her other hip. Peeta, in just a moment it seems, soon has her tied to the frame, with her feet off of the floor. Katniss knows this game he is playing, so to get his attention, she takes it a step further since there has only been a handful of times she has actually called him this. She clear her throat and asks, “Sir? May I ask you something?”

He stands up a little straighter, and she can tell that he is pleased by her words. “Yes, you may.”

“Please, sir, may I touch you? Please let my hands go.” 

He doesn’t say anything as he unties her hands from her harness. He does secure them to the metal ring above her head. he tilts her back, so that she is totally open to him, and adjusts the ropes until she is exactly where he wants her. “Damn, you’re beautiful.” 

She knows that her center is already dripping, but his words make her want him even more. He comes to stand in between her legs, grabbing a hold of her knees. The way he has her tied, she is the perfect height for him. She sighs when he touches her folds, gently separating them until he finds her clit. She sighs happily when he starts to circle it the way she likes it. With his other hand he pulls the ropes that hold her hands bringing her up. When he latches onto one of her nipples, she chuckles, knowing that is what he was wanting. This time, the moan that escapes her shakes them both. 

He plunges his fingers into her center making her come. She isn’t sure how he moves so fast sometimes, but even before she is done coming down, he is inside of her. “Damn, Kitten. You feel better and better each time we do it.” He grabs onto the ropes coming from her hips and uses them as leverage making both of them come harder than they have ever come before. 

 

Kpkpkpkp

Sometime during the night both of the little girls woke up at the same time. Usually if just one of them wakes, Katniss can usually get Daisy or Violet back to sleep. But when both of them wake up at the same time, and because its Christmas, Katniss brings both of them back to the bed with her. neither Katniss or Peeta will admit how much the like having the little girls in the bed with them, at least not to one another. 

So when the sun hits her eyes on that Christmas morning, Katniss snuggled down deeper under the covers with her little family. She hears a, “Pssst!” coming from the other side of the bed. She slowly opens her eyes and spies her husband, with his adorable curls sticking straight up.

“What?” She whispers back. 

He mouths. “Get up.”

She nods and starts to untangle herself from, after a quick glance she sees that its Violet who was tucked into her side. Both parents watch as the sleeping toddlers find one another in their sleep and curl around each other. They share a smile over the sleeping girls, and not for the first time, both Katniss and Peeta count their blessings. 

Katniss and Peeta get dressed, and Katniss goes to wake the twins up, but Peeta stops her. He crooks his finger at her to follow him out the door. When they are out there, they see that Prim’s door is open. Before he can stop her, Katniss goes on downstairs. 

They find Prim and Cato being cute and cuddly over the coffee pot in the corner. Everyone exchanged good mornings and half hugs. Katniss notices that Cato can’t sit still for some reason, but before she can say anything, its Peeta who says, “Just go ahead, Cato.”

The men exchange a look, and Cato gives Prim a quick kiss and then rushes out of the room. The sisters give one another a worried smile and Cato is right back before anyone can say anything. 

Cato stands there, with his hands behind his back and Katniss sees something moving before he shows Prim. With a flourish, he shows her what he is hiding, a little poof ball of orange fur. Prim plucks the kitten from his hands with a, “Awwww!” she brings it up to her face and starts to kiss it, but before she does, she spies what is around its neck. With a squeal, Prim asks, “Is that what I think it is?”

Cato, who is standing beside her sister in his flannel pajama pants and a big t-shirt, flushes every shade of red, and even some that she has never seen in a matter of seconds. He drops down to one knee, and grabs Prim’s other hand. “I love you Primrose Everdeen. No one has ever come close you loving me like you do. And I love you.” He pulls the ribbon around the kitten’s neck, loosening the ring, catching it in his hand. He offers it to her and asks, “Will you marry me?”

Katniss’ eyes fill with tears as she watches her little sister’s lip quiver. “Yes, Cato, I would love to marry you.” He stands up, and gathers her in his arms. 

Peeta pulls Katniss out of the kitchen into the living room. She opens her mouth to protest, but he stops her with a finger on her lips. He digs in his pocket, and pulls out a ring box. Katniss’ eyes grow wide as he opens the box to reveal a white gold ring with two rubies. “those are Daisy and Violet’s birthstones.” She throws her arms around his neck and says, muffle against his neck, “Thank you. I love it!”

Kpkpkpkp

It’s much later, when everyone is gathered for Christmas dinner, that Katniss takes a moment to watch her loved ones. Prim, Cato and Rue are all in a corner, making wedding plans no doubt. All of the little girls are playing in front of the tree like a pack of rowdy puppies with Annie and Finnick sitting close by. Madge, Gale, Jo and Brue all share a laugh with Grandma Mags before Cato leads Prim and Rue over to them. 

Peeta comes up behind her, and wraps his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her neck. She whispers, “I’m sorry your dad and Rye couldn’t make it.”

He sighs, and she hears how tired he really is in it. “They didn’t plan on coming down with the flu. I have everyone I need right here. This is my family. You and the girls, but its also all of them. Its them who have been there for us through the years and isn’t that what family is supposed to do?”

She nods, and his arms tighten around her. she whispers, “it is. Merry Christmas, Peeta.”

She feels him press a kiss to the top of her head. “Merry Christmas to you too. I love you.”

“I love you too.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to take a moment and recongnzie some wonderful people—there is a group of people who always comment on my chapters. I adore you all. I really do. So this one shot, is for you. Thank you for your encouragement. There have been several times where if it wasn’t for you, I probably would have quit a long time ago.
> 
> Then there are the usual ones, thank you notanislander, kleeklutch and maria. As soon as I sent them this, I got three very excited messages!! And thank you to norbertsmom. 
> 
> This one is also Luke Bryan’s fault. I was writing and “Strip it Down” came on. And while it reminded me how much the mister and I need one of those, I imagined these two did too.

“Hey, Peeta! what are you doing?” Finnick answers his cell phone.

Peeta sets down the skein of rope he is rolling up. “Hey Finn, can you and Annie do me a favor tonight?”

Finnick chuckles, “Let me guess—“

They say together, “Can you keep the girls?” Both of them laugh. Finnick answers, “Yeah, we can. Will it be all night?”

Peeta shrugs, even though Finnick can’t see him. “I’m not sure. I had a crazy idea to take Katniss down to the river—“

Finnick’s chuckle interrupts him. “Are you going fishing?”

Peeta grins. “There might be some poles and bait involved. Are you sure it will be alright with Annie?”

“Yeah, in fact Katniss has probably already talked to her.”

“No, actually this was going to be a surprise.”

“You mean, she doesn’t know? Do you think you can pull this off?”

peeta runs his fingers through his hair, unable to see how it stands the curls on end. “Lord, I hope so. We love the girls, so don’t get me wrong—“

Finnick butts in, “You need a break.”

Peeta repeats, “We need a break.” He cringes when he hears the weariness in his own voice. 

“Bring the rug-rats over and take your wife out. Go ahead and bring their clothes, I know Gracie would love a slumber party.”

Peeta grins. 

Kpkpkpkp

Katniss juggles the grocery bags while she reaches for the door knob. “Damn it,” She swears as the one with the gallon of milk in it begins to rip. Right when it’s about to hit the walkway, she tries to catch it before it busts, the kitchen door opens. 

His hands lightly scarred from years of working in the bakery and then tying ropes, fumble with the jug. “Why do you try to do this in one trip?”

She straightens up and brushes past him into the house. “You know I hate making two trips and the girls aren’t with me to help.” 

As soon as she sets the bags down, Peeta wraps his arms around her. She closes her eyes before she gets to see the excited look on his face. She does feel it in his kiss. They separate with a loud, juicy pop. She scowls at him. “What are you up to?”

He still hasn’t let go of her and she giggles when he tickles her ribs. “The girls are gone.”

“They are? Should I be concerned?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. You should get ready.”

“Where are the girls?” She asks, but he doesn’t answer because he is licking and nibbling her neck. She runs her fingers through his curls and tugs lightly, distracting him. “Peeta—where are they?”

He meets her eyes briefly. “They are at Finnick and Annie’s,” He says joyfully.

“And what do you have planned?” She asks, picking up on his excitement.

He kisses her on the nose. “Go change. I picked out some clothes for you.”

“You did? Will you put the groceries up?”

He kisses her and “Mhmmmms,” at the same time. He let’s her go and smacks her on the bottom. 

She starts up the stairs, but looks back at him and meets his eyes. “Are you sure we have to go anywhere?”

“Yes we do.”

She exhales, and he can hear her say, “Fine then,” under her breath as she continues up to their room. 

He chuckles, and puts the food up for her. When he is finished, he heads up the stairs. She is still changing so he pauses in the doorway to watch his beautiful wife slide her boots on. She glances up, and his favorite grin appears. “Where are we going?”

Peeta steps into the room. He had picked out her favorite worn flannel shirt, her torn old jeans, and her old boots. “It’s a surprise, Kitten.”

“I would tell you.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”

“That’s true. Well let’s go, I’m ready to find out where you are taking me.”

For some reason, she isn’t surprised at all when he leads her to his old truck. She tries to peek into the truck bed but he clears his throat, getting her attention. “You can’t see what’s back there yet.”

“All that is back there are some boxes.”

“Just get in. We’ll be there in a minute.”

She waits until they are going down the road, then she asks, “Did you bring something to eat? I’m hungry.”

He pats her leg, and tugs. She follows his hint, and slides across the bench seat. He tucks her into his side, and she exhales. His arm crosses in front of her, so he can rest his hand on the gear shift. She hugs his arm and murmurs, “Have I ever told you how good this feels?”

She doesn’t see the way he looks at her, because she has her eyes closed, enjoying the way he touches her. “You like this?”

She rubs her cheek against his bicep. “It’s hard to explain. I feel safe, and protected. Like nothing bad is ever going to happen.” She meets his glance, and continues, “I know that bad things are going to happen. That’s life. But me being here with you, in this moment—I know everything is perfect.”

He pulls the truck off of the blacktop onto a gravel road. She is quiet and is content to watch until he pulls up to a river. He slides the gear shift into park, and meets her eyes. “Surprise!” 

“Where are we?”

He leans over and kisses her nose. “We, my beautiful wife, are going fishing.”

“We are? Did you bring everything?”

“Of course I did.” He opens the door and gets out. She follows him and while he heads for the truck bed, she walks over to the river. 

“Why does this look so familiar?” 

“We’ve been here before,” He says in her ear.

“We have?”

He nods. “We have. Remember when we first went fishing?”

“It was here!” She hugs him and gives him another kiss. “Thank you.”

“I have another surprise.” 

“What?”

He takes her hand, and leads her back to the truck. He’s unpacked an air mattress, that is now inflating, some blankets, and pillows. She also doesn’t miss his bag. “Finnick said that we can stay as long as we want.”

She turns in his arms. “We can?”

“The little girls are spending the night.”

“They are?”

He nods his wide smile bright. “They are.”

She nods towards the bed of the truck. “What is that for?”

This time, he smirks. “What do you think it’s for, Kitten?”

“Are we going to take a nap or something?” 

He kisses her before he nibbles her neck. “I was thinking we could work on the something,” his husky voice in her ear makes her quiver all over. 

“I think we can too,” she murmurs back. They have been together almost four years now, and they still want each other as much as ever. 

His hand skims down her side, stopping at the hem of her shirt. He slides his fingers under her shirt, his touch giving her goose bumps. She leans into him, and he kisses the end of her nose. “Don’t move.”

He steps away from her and turns back to the truck. She watches him unpack a new box and pull out a rolled up piece of vinyl. “What’s that?” She asks.

Peeta unrolls the vinyl and digs out a cord. He gives the end to Katniss and asks, “Plug this into the cigarette lighter?”

She finishes pulling the cord apart and walks around to the driver’s side. She opens the door and leans in. “Ok, you are good to go.”

He flips the switch, and a loud noise echoes through the little valley. She joins him at the tail gate and they watch the mattress start to inflate. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her tight. The motor automatically shuts off when it’s full, and she goes back to unplug it. 

Peeta, with a huge grin on his face, pulls out his old gear bag. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen that,” She says behind him. He pulls out a skein of rope and slaps it against the palm of his hand. “Are we ready for the something?”

He faces her and lightly taps her breastbone with the rope. “Are you ready for me?” He teases in hoarse whisper. 

She backs up a step and with a smirk, she pulls her shirt off. “I’m just glad that it’s summer.”

He shakes his head. “Do you really think I would bring you out here when it’s cold?”

She rolls her eyes and slips her thumbs in the waistband of her shorts. “Are you sure no one can see us?”

“Nope. We are at least five, if not more miles from the road.”

She smiles and eases her shorts on down. “Who owns this land?”

He grins at her. “We do, if you want it?”

She freezes and pulls her shorts back up. “What?”

“You love the forest and all this.” He pauses as he motions to their surroundings. “So I thought we could maybe buy this now, then in a couple of years, after we have saved up some money, of course, we could build out here?”

She looks around her in amazement. “You mean, this, all this, could be ours? How?”

“The guy who owns it came in not to long ago needing some cash. He knew that we loved it out here, so he offered it to me. It’s about ten acres, and this creek runs right through it.”

“Can we afford a land payment?”

Peeta nods. “I think so. I mean we are producing more and more. Thankfully, we are selling more and more.”

“What about the commute?”

He shrugs. “It’s only twenty minutes more than what we do now.”

“We could do this, we really could!” Her excitement in her voice makes him excited also. “The girls would love it out here!”

He grabs her waist. “You would love it out here.”

She presses a kiss to his lips. “You will too.”

“As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy anywhere.”

She eyes the rope lying on the tailgate. “Where were we?”

He nods towards the mattress. “Hop on up there.”

First, she reaches around to unlatches her bra. She stoops her shoulders so the straps fall off of her shoulders. A smirk appears on her face when she notices how he still watches every move she makes. She flicks her bra at him, hitting him in the face. 

He jumps and she giggles. He nods towards the truck. “Go.”

“You like me naked.”

“I love you naked. Right now, I want you naked and tied up in the back of my truck.” 

She steps closer to him hooking her thumbs into the elastic around the waistband of her panties. Their gazes are locked as she slips them down her thighs. Stepping out of them, she takes them in one hand and dangles them in front of Peeta. 

He snatches them out of her hand and growls playfully at her. “I’m going—“ she holds out her wrists, and looks at him through her lashes. “Unless you want to start now?”

He pauses for a moment, and then agrees, “That is actually a good idea. Besides, you need a harness too.”

Desire washes over her as he loops the rope around her neck pulling her closer. He places the organic bamboo rope in between her breasts before he twists it in a knot to rest on her breastbone. 

She watches his nimble fingers tie two more knots before he threads it in between her legs. she pants as he feeds the rope and grabs it behind her. Before he pulls it tight, he gently runs his finger thru her folds, spreading her wetness around. She moans, “Peeta—“

“What is it, Kitten?”

Her voice is shaky when she whispers, “It’s been too damn long.”

He slides his index finger into her depths and smiles when her eyes flutter shut. He pumps in and out several times and pulls his finger out when he feels her knees buckle. “You can’t come yet.”

“Huh! But I really need to,” She whines. 

He walks around her, bringing the rope up and tracing her spine with it, after he laces it thru the rope around her neck. She loves the way he follows his touch with his kisses. He is still behind her when he brings the rope under her arms. He passes it thru the other end of the rope in between her breasts. He cups her breasts, and tightly twists her nipples, making her squirm against the knot that rests on her clit, which only adds to the growing sensation coursing through her. 

“Not yet,” He whispers in her ear before he gasps her waist, and lifts her into the back of the truck. “Sit.”

His deep baritones dance along the nerves he’s been teasing. She watches him as he unpacks some pillows and throws them towards the cab. he catches her eye and shrugs. “We do have all night.”

“Did you bring blankets?”

“I did. Now come here,” He says as he climbs towards the front of the truck. 

Oh lord, she loves it when he uses his Dom voice. She is unable to tell him no as she crawls over the blanket and pillows. He grabs the ropes that criss-cross her torso, and pulls her closer. Instead of touching and kissing her, he says, “Lie down.”

She immediately obeys. The vibrations of the second skein of rope hitting the mattress make her rub her legs together. The knot makes her gasp and he shifts his gaze to meet hers. “What are you doing, Kitten?”

She squirms and shakes her head. “Nothing.”

He looks her over, doubt clouding his features. He scoots until he is sitting beside her. With the backs of his fingers, he lets his touch drift over her chest. Goose bumps erupt in his wake, making him smile at the effect he is having on her. “Give me your wrist.”

She smiles at what’s coming. He quickly ties his rope and eases her arm over her head. “Next,” he commands. She gives him her other wrist, and it doesn’t take him long to secure that rope around it. She puts it over her head without him telling her to. 

Peeta still has ahold of the end of the rope and with a sultry grin, he takes the ends and trails them over the already present goose pimples adding to her want. He must have been able to sense that she is about to touch him because he grabs the rope and weaves it thru the truck bedrail. She mewls in frustration. 

He stands up and when he leans over her, she has to gasp when his t-shirt brushes her already sensitive nipples, adding to what is becoming her agony. He looks down at her and she realizes that she must have grunted her frustration after all. “What’s a matter?”

She looks between him and where he is still tying the knots on the other side of the truck bed. “Nothing.”

He kisses her on the end of the nose. “You know that I’m going to take care of you, don’t you?”

She has to nod, because she knows that he is right. “Are you going to tie my legs too?”

His fingers find the knot and he pushes it so it rubs against her clit again. “Do you want me to?”

“I need you,” She replies. 

He doesn’t say anything as he reaches for some rope instead. He finds the middle, and pats her on the leg. “Bend your knee.”

She listens to him and he begins to wrap the rope around her thigh. Soon, he repeats the tie on her other leg. “How flexible are you feeling today?”

She tries to shrug. “Normal, I guess?”

He smiles while tying the rope to the bed rail. He tugs on the rope and asks, “Still, ok?”

“Hmm, yes. I’m good.”

He gently stands up and straddles her without touching her. With only a couple of twists, he has her legs splayed open. She sees the smirk on his face and he says, “Now that is a view that I like.”

She shakes her head at him, and doesn’t hide her smile. He bends his knees and cups her face. She leans into his touch. “And I’ve missed this, you ready for me?” He whispers. 

“I’m always ready for you.”

He shifts his weight so he is sitting by her again. “I know, but with the girls getting older and all, its hard to find time for us to play like this.”

“I know.” She watches his face and sees the conflicting emotions flit across it. “What’s wrong?”

He runs his fingers along the web of rope expanded across her torso. “It’s nothing, really.”

“It’s something.”

He nods. “Everything is changing—“

“But its good changes. Right?”

He leans down and murmurs against her lips, “The best.” Then he kisses her. It’s not a lingering kiss, because he breaks it to say, “There is no where else I would rather be than here with you, in our little family, raising our girls. It’s just there are times—“

“When you miss us?” He nods sheepishly. She continues, “I know things have been busy at the brewery, is that part of what is making you feel this way?”

“I think so,” he answers. “I like working with Finnick—“

“But you miss the ropes and the studio too?”

“I do.” He touches the patches of skin that are in between the bindings. “Can we talk about this later? I want you.”

“Aren’t you over dressed?”

He grins and stands up slowly. He removes his pants and shirt. She glances at him to see him setting in between her legs. He cups her breasts, and nibbles on her nipples. She squirms against the ropes, knowing that they aren’t going to yield. One of his hands drifts down to the knot that has been driving her crazy with need. He parts the ropes and her folds. Her eyes widen when she feels his hardness enter her. “I didn’t think—“

“What? That I’m ready for you? I’m always ready for you, Kitten,” He growls as he snaps his hips, making her groan. He leaves her breathless as he grinds against her. Because he tied her up so, she can’t move or even wiggle, so she makes sure that with every pump, he knows how he feels inside. She comes quickly, milking his cock as she does. 

He stiffens above her, and she watches his face and the pleasure that he receives from her. He collapses on top of her and they pant together as they come down from their high. She lies there, with her eyes closed and it’s not until she feels her legs give way that she opens them again. He moves quickly, and releases her arms before he gathers her to his side. 

She is content to lie there forever if her stomach hadn’t started growling, making Peeta chuckle. He doesn’t move, but asks, “Are you hungry?”

“Hmm-mm,” she hums.

He shifts so he can prop himself up on his elbow. “Well, I guess we’d better start fishing then.”

“You didn’t bring any food?”

“I did. To go with fish.”

She shakes her head. “Oh, Peeta—“

Six weeks later—

Katniss pushes the handle on the toilet and washes her hands. She eyes the wand lying on the towel on the counter. It doesn’t take long for the positive sign to show up. Instead of the panic she felt with the girls, perfect peace wraps around her. “Peeta! come here!”

She sees his blonde curls first coming from their bedroom. She leans against the vanity and nods towards the plastic stick. “What’s that—“ his sentence trails off as he looks at it for a long minute. “Is that? Are you? Katniss?”

“Peeta, it looks like we have a new person coming to see us soon—“


End file.
